BERLIN (Reuters) -Electric vehicle (EV) sales in the European Union jumped 71% in May while new car registrations grew for the tenth consecutive month, rising 18.5%, data released by the region's carmaker association showed on Wednesday.
Sales of EVs and hybrid cars - which have both a battery and combustion engine - have soared in the bloc in the last three years, boosted by government subsidies and corporate fleets looking for low- or zero-emission vehicle options.
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said that EVs accounted for 13.8% of all car sales in May, up from under 10% a year earlier.
While petrol cars were still the biggest sellers in May, accounting for 36.5% of the market, together with diesel cars pure fossil-fuel models accounted for under 51% of sales.
As recently as 2015, diesel cars alone accounted for more than 50% of all car sales in Europe.
Sales at Europe's top-selling carmaker Volkswagen (ETR:VOWG_p) rose 19.5% in May, while Renault (EPA:RENA) and BMW recorded sales increases of 35.9% and 34.3% respectively.
But Stellantis, which has been struggling with logistical problems in delivering cars, saw sales fall 0.2%.
The number of new vehicles registered in May in the EU, Britain and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) grew by 18.2% to 1.12 million units year on year.