While headlines scream of a European auto industry in decline, the 2022-2023 data reveals a sector in the throes of a monumental, if turbulent, transformation, with electric vehicle production soaring and deep-seated economic strength enduring through the storm.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the European Union produced 13.4 million passenger cars, marking a 6.2% decline from 2021 due to supply chain disruptions.
- Germany led EU passenger car production in 2022 with 3.6 million units, accounting for 27% of total EU output.
- Spain produced 2.2 million vehicles in 2022, including 1.8 million passenger cars, boosted by foreign investments.
- EU new car registrations reached 10.6 million units in 2022, a 2% increase from 2021.
- Germany topped new car sales in 2022 with 2.9 million registrations, 27% of EU total.
- France registered 1.9 million new cars in 2022, up 0.9% year-on-year.
- The EU automotive sector employed 13.8 million people directly and indirectly in 2022.
- Germany had 866,000 direct automotive jobs in 2022, 28% of EU total.
- Automotive manufacturing in EU supported 6.5 million indirect jobs in 2022.
- BEV sales in EU reached 2.4 million units in 2023, up 37% from 2022.
- EU CO2 emissions from new cars averaged 108.4 g/km in 2022, down 3.5%.
- 23.5% of new EU car registrations were electrified (BEV+PHEV+HEV) in 2023.
- EU auto industry exports totaled €223 billion in 2022.
- Automotive trade surplus in EU was €87 billion in 2022.
- Germany exported €130 billion in vehicles in 2022, 58% of EU total.
The European auto industry is declining overall but seeing strong growth in electric vehicle production and sales.
Economic and Trade Figures
1EU auto industry exports totaled €223 billion in 2022.
Verified2Automotive trade surplus in EU was €87 billion in 2022.
Verified3Germany exported €130 billion in vehicles in 2022, 58% of EU total.
Verified4EU vehicle imports rose 15% to €136 billion in 2022.
Directional5Auto sector contributed 7% to EU manufacturing value added in 2022.
Single source6Turnover of EU auto manufacturers was €775 billion in 2022.
Verified7Investments in EU auto industry reached €42 billion in 2022.
Verified8France's auto trade balance was €5.2 billion surplus in 2022.
Verified9EU-China auto trade deficit widened to €50 billion in 2022.
Directional10UK exported 128,000 cars to EU in 2022, down 20% post-Brexit.
Single source11EU parts and components exports hit €120 billion in 2022.
Verified12Automotive sector generated €190 billion in taxes for EU governments in 2022.
Verified13Automotive value added €300 billion to EU GDP in 2022.
Verified14EU-US auto trade €100 billion annually pre-2023.
Directional15Italy exported €47 billion vehicles 2022.
Single source16EU intra-trade 70% of total auto trade volume 2022.
Verified17Turnover of EU parts suppliers €450 billion 2022.
Verified18Auto investments in digitalization €15 billion 2022.
Verified19Czech auto exports €50 billion, 80% to EU 2022.
Directional20EU tariffs on Chinese EVs proposed 20-38% in 2024.
Single source21Slovakia GDP contribution from auto 12% in 2022.
Verified22EU auto retail sales value €400 billion 2022.
Verified23Germany trade surplus auto €100 billion 2022.
VerifiedEconomic and Trade Figures Interpretation
The European auto industry remains a formidable economic engine, as evidenced by its staggering €223 billion export haul and healthy trade surplus, but it’s simultaneously navigating a pothole-filled road of surging imports, a yawning deficit with China, and the expensive digital transformation required to stay in the race.
Electric Vehicles and Sustainability
1BEV sales in EU reached 2.4 million units in 2023, up 37% from 2022.
Verified2EU CO2 emissions from new cars averaged 108.4 g/km in 2022, down 3.5%.
Verified323.5% of new EU car registrations were electrified (BEV+PHEV+HEV) in 2023.
Verified4EU has 450,000 public EV charging points as of end-2023, up 50% from 2022.
Directional5Volkswagen invested €30 billion in electrification by 2025, with 70 EV models planned.
Single source6Northvolt's gigafactory in Sweden to produce 60 GWh batteries annually by 2024.
Verified7EU battery production capacity to reach 700 GWh by 2030 under IPCEI projects.
Verified814.6% BEV market share in EU new registrations Q1 2024.
Verified9PHEV registrations down 29% to 192,000 units in Q1 2024 in EU.
Directional10EU recycling rate for ELVs (end-of-life vehicles) achieved 95.2% in 2022.
Single source11Mercedes-Benz aims for 50% EV sales in Europe by 2030.
Verified12BMW i-series sales grew 74% in Europe in 2023.
Verified13EU hydrogen fuel cell vehicle registrations totaled 2,100 in 2022.
Verified1465% of EU consumers consider EVs for next purchase per 2023 survey.
Directional15EU public fast chargers grew to 200,000 by 2023.
Single source16CO2 targets: EU fleet average to 93.6 g/km by 2025.
Verified172023 EU BEV registrations 2.65 million cumulative.
Verified18ACCURE battery recycling plant in Germany processes 15,000 tons/year.
Verified19EU Green Deal invests €100 billion in sustainable mobility by 2030.
Directional20Norway (EEA) 89% BEV share in 2023.
Single source21EU spent €25 billion on battery R&D 2018-2023.
Verified22Renault's Gigafactory France to produce 40 GWh by 2025.
Verified2330% of EU fleet to be zero-emission by 2030 mandate.
Verified24Hydrogen refueling stations in EU: 178 in 2023.
Directional25EU auto patents in EV tech: 25,000 in 2022.
Single source26Fiat 500e top small BEV with 65,000 sales EU 2023.
Verified27EU vehicle scrappage schemes recycled 8 million ELVs in 2022.
VerifiedElectric Vehicles and Sustainability Interpretation
While Europe's auto industry is furiously rewiring itself, charging into an electric future with the speed of a DC fast charger, it's still grappling with the legacy exhaust fumes of its past and the need to build a grid to power it all.
Employment Data
1The EU automotive sector employed 13.8 million people directly and indirectly in 2022.
Verified2Germany had 866,000 direct automotive jobs in 2022, 28% of EU total.
Verified3Automotive manufacturing in EU supported 6.5 million indirect jobs in 2022.
Verified4France's auto industry employed 540,000 people in 2022, including suppliers.
Directional5Spain's automotive sector provided 350,000 jobs in 2022, with growth in EV assembly.
Single source6R&D in EU auto industry employed 400,000 engineers and specialists in 2022.
Verified7Automotive apprenticeships in Germany reached 55,000 in 2022.
Verified8EU auto sector saw 2.5% employment growth in battery production from 2021-2022.
Verified9Italy's auto workforce totaled 240,000 in 2022, focused on design and components.
Directional10UK automotive employment stood at 183,000 direct jobs in 2022 post-Brexit.
Single source11Women represented 22% of EU auto industry workforce in 2022.
Verified12Average hourly labor cost in EU auto manufacturing was €32.5 in 2021.
Verified13EU invested €60 billion in automotive R&D in 2022, 5.5% of global total.
Verified14Germany employment in auto suppliers 500,000 in 2022.
Directional15EU auto R&D spend per employee €12,000 annually in 2022.
Single source16Romania's auto jobs grew to 130,000 in 2022.
Verified17Portugal employed 70,000 in auto sector 2022.
Verified18Average age of auto workers in EU 44 years in 2022.
Verified1915% rise in EV-related jobs in EU 2021-2023.
Directional20UK lost 12,000 auto jobs since 2019 Brexit impact.
Single source21Volvo Cars employed 38,000 in Europe 2022.
Verified22EU auto training programs reached 200,000 participants in 2022.
Verified23Labor productivity in EU auto up 2.1% in 2022.
Verified24EU gigafactory jobs projected 100,000 by 2025.
DirectionalEmployment Data Interpretation
While Germany shoulders the engine room with over a third of the EU's direct jobs, the continent's auto industry is a 13.8-million-person juggernaut, meticulously retooling its workforce through massive R&D and training to power an electric future, though not without sputtering from Brexit losses and a persistent gender gap in the rearview mirror.
Production Statistics
1In 2022, the European Union produced 13.4 million passenger cars, marking a 6.2% decline from 2021 due to supply chain disruptions.
Verified2Germany led EU passenger car production in 2022 with 3.6 million units, accounting for 27% of total EU output.
Verified3Spain produced 2.2 million vehicles in 2022, including 1.8 million passenger cars, boosted by foreign investments.
Verified4France's vehicle production reached 1.65 million units in 2022, with a focus on light commercial vehicles at 0.85 million.
Directional5EU commercial vehicle production totaled 2.4 million units in 2022, down 9.1% from the previous year.
Single source6In Q1 2023, EU passenger car production fell 20.7% year-on-year to 2.79 million units amid chip shortages.
Verified7Volkswagen Group produced 4.1 million vehicles in Europe in 2022, holding 22% market share in production.
Verified8Stellantis manufactured 2.8 million vehicles in Europe in 2022, with Italy as a key hub.
Verified9BMW Group produced 1.18 million cars in Europe in 2022, emphasizing premium segments.
Directional10Renault Group output in Europe was 1.6 million vehicles in 2022, down due to semiconductor issues.
Single source11EU battery electric vehicle (BEV) production surged 40% to 1.2 million units in 2022.
Verified12Hybrid electric vehicle production in EU rose 25% to 2.1 million units in 2022.
Verified13Engine production in EU totaled 11.5 million units in 2022, with diesel engines at 3.2 million.
Verified14EU passenger car production in 2021 was 14.2 million units before decline.
Directional15Czech Republic produced 1.25 million vehicles in 2022, per capita leader.
Single source16Slovakia's output was 1.05 million cars in 2022, 17% of GDP from auto.
Verified17Hungary manufactured 0.44 million vehicles in 2022, growing 5%.
Verified18Poland's commercial vehicle production up 10% to 0.55 million in 2022.
Verified19EU powertrain production included 5.8 million petrol engines in 2022.
Directional20Stellantis Sevel plant in Italy produced 260,000 vans in 2022.
Single source21Ford's Cologne plant output 0.45 million vehicles in 2022.
Verified22In 2023 H1, EU car production recovered 12% to 7.1 million units.
Verified23BEV production in Germany alone was 0.65 million in 2022.
VerifiedProduction Statistics Interpretation
Despite a painful supply-chain hangover causing a 6.2% decline, Europe's auto industry was simultaneously plugging into the future, as a staggering 40% surge in electric vehicle production proved it was charging ahead even while stalling.
Sales and Registrations
1EU new car registrations reached 10.6 million units in 2022, a 2% increase from 2021.
Verified2Germany topped new car sales in 2022 with 2.9 million registrations, 27% of EU total.
Verified3France registered 1.9 million new cars in 2022, up 0.9% year-on-year.
Verified4Italy's new car market grew 13% to 1.55 million units in 2022.
Directional5Spain saw 0.94 million new car registrations in 2022, down 4.4%.
Single source6Battery electric vehicles accounted for 11.9% of new car registrations in EU in 2022, totaling 1.26 million units.
Verified7Plug-in hybrids (PHEV) registrations in EU reached 1.14 million in 2022, 10.7% market share.
Verified8Volkswagen Group led EU sales with 15.7% market share in 2022, selling 1.67 million cars.
Verified9Stellantis held 19.2% market share with 2.03 million registrations in EU 2022.
Directional10Renault Group sales in EU were 1.36 million units in 2022, 12.8% share.
Single source11In Q1 2023, EU new car registrations dropped 19.8% to 2.84 million units.
Verified12BEV share in EU registrations fell to 10.7% in Q1 2023 from 12% prior year.
Verified13EU new light commercial vehicle registrations 2.1 million in 2022.
Verified14Netherlands led BEV market share at 29% of registrations in 2022.
Directional15Sweden's new car sales up 6% to 0.31 million in 2022.
Single source16Belgium registrations 0.48 million in 2022, diesel 35% share.
Verified17Austria saw 0.32 million new cars registered in 2022.
Verified18Tesla Model Y was top-selling car in EU 2023 with 251,000 units.
Verified19Dacia Sandero led affordable segment with 198,000 sales in 2022.
Directional20Toyota's hybrid sales in EU hit 0.56 million in 2022.
Single source21In Jan 2024, EU registrations up 1.3% to 993,068 units.
VerifiedSales and Registrations Interpretation
The European auto industry is cautiously revving its engines, with Germany firmly in the driver's seat, the electric transition hitting a temporary speed bump, and the entire market nervously eyeing the rearview mirror after a jarring first-quarter drop in 2023.
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