Renault Zoe takes the crown as Europe’s best-selling EV

The Renault Zoe knocked the Tesla Model 3 off its perch to become Europe’s best-selling battery-electric car in 2020.

A total of 1.42 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars were sold in Europe during the year, which represented a 147 per cent increase on the year before. The Zoe, as one of Renault’s core electric offerings, totalled sales of 99,261 – a 118 per cent year-on-year increase. It helped the Zoe to eclipse sales of the Tesla Model 3, which came in at 85,713. This represented a nine per cent year-on-year drop.

According to data from car industry analysts Jato Dynamics, electrified vehicles – either fully electric or plug-in hybrid models – represented 12 per cent of all cars sold across 23 European markets.

Volkswagen’s new ID.3 came in third place for the year with 56,118 vehicles sold despite its entry into the market during the middle of 2020. Jato Dynamics’ data has shown that the ID.3 was the second best-selling vehicle throughout a wider market of 27 European countries during December, with 27,997 units sold.

Other notable names in the list of EV best-sellers included the Hyundai Kona – with 47,796 sales – and the Peugeot e-208, with 31,287 units sold.

Mercedes, meanwhile, tops the list of PHEV manufacturers, helped by the introduction of its A-Class and E-Class plug-in hybrids. The former sold 29,427 units in 2020, outclassing the former market leader – the Mitsubishi Outlander – of which 26,673 units were sold, down 21 per cent on the previous year.