Faced with the decrease in registrations of electric vehicles (EVs), Motus-E, the first Italian association created by leading industrial operators, conducts a detailed market analysis.
The study indicates that expectations of new subsidies are slowing down the market.
In this regard, Francesco Naso, Secretary General of Motus-E, states: “We insist on the urgent need to activate the new Ecobonus to avoid a paralysis of the automotive market during the year, furthermore, characterized by particularly significant sales volumes.”
He adds: “Subsidies for electric cars have a particular value because investing in a technology that is on the rise has a positive impact on the entire ecosystem that revolves around it, from the industrial supply chain to services. A decisive added value for the country’s economy.”
It is worth remembering that the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy presented the Ecobonus programme on 23 January, which allows individuals to obtain financial support for the acquisition of environmentally friendly vehicles.
However, to date, it has not been implemented.
Indeed, last month saw only 5,294 electric vehicles registered compared to 8,169 units in the same month of 2023, indicating a notable decrease of 35.19 per cent.
Additionally, the market share was also lower, equivalent to 3.25 per cent in March 2024, compared to the 4.84 per cent reported the previous year.
“The figures are starting to clearly reflect the alarm about the dangerous gap between the old and the new and more advantageous incentive system, which naturally induces motorists and companies to postpone purchases until the new concessions, announced but not yet operational, come into effect,” observes Naso.
Nonetheless, sustainable mobility represents 44.2 per cent of the total recent car registrations, taking into account BEVs, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), hybrids, and mild hybrids.
It’s worth mentioning that not only the electromobility sector experienced losses.
The overall automotive market in Italy recorded 162,842 registrations in March, which signifies a decrease of 3.61 per cent, with 6,106 fewer units.
Could all this be due to an economic factor?
It’s not insignificant that the government is in talks with Chinese car manufacturers that have a manufacturing presence in Europe, such as Chery Group.
It’s undeniable that such companies offer units at a more affordable cost for private users, which would favour a faster transition towards sustainable mobility.
What were the most chosen electric models?
Motus-E compiled information on the most chosen models by Italians during the third month of the year.
Among the top five best-sellers, the Tesla Model Y leads the list with 2,345 units, followed by the Tesla Model 3 with 1,278.
Next is the Jeep Avenger with 666 units registered, followed by the VW ID 3 in fourth place with 647 vehicles registered.
Finally, in fifth place is the Fiat 500e with 614 registrations.
What position does Italy hold in EV registrations in Europe?
In February, electric car registrations in large companies across the continent continued to increase, with the Netherlands leading with a share of 26.31 per cent, followed by Belgium and France with shares of 21.29 per cent and 17.36 per cent respectively.
Growth in other major European nations also remains steady: the United Kingdom with 15.80 per cent, Germany with 11.64 per cent, and Spain with 6.68 per cent.
Italy, lagging behind, records a performance of 2.73 per cent.
Currently, Italy has a fleet of 231,575 units in circulation, of which 13,226 were registered this year.
This implies a reduction of 19.21 per cent compared to existing units as of the same date last year (16,371 units).
To have a more complete picture, it is imperative to mention the geographical distribution of BEV cars to date across the country.
The Northeast region has the highest number of new registrations, 5078, followed by the Northwest with 3314 and the Central region with 3268.
By a wide margin, the South ranks last with 1088 registrations and the islands with only 478 units.
The truth is, to meet the charging needs of such several cars, the ‘Bel Paese’ has 50,678 charging points located in 17,537 locations and 26,997 stations. But are they sufficient for the number of cars that currently and will continue to traverse the nation?
