The Ford Puma is the best-selling and most-produced MHEV model in Europe in 2024
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The Ford Puma is the best-selling and most-produced MHEV model in Europe in 2024
- In a European market (30 countries = EU + United Kingdom + Switzerland + Norway) of micro-hybrids (MHEV) estimated at 1.8 million units in 2024 against 1.5 million in 2023, the Ford Puma, a small B-segment SUV which ended up replacing the Ford Fiesta sedan, remained the best-selling MHEV model in Europe (and the most produced), with 137,000 units (against 143,000 in 2023).
- In second place, we note the presence of the Fiat Panda (the old model produced in Italy and not the new Grande Panda model produced in Serbia), with 113,000 units (compared to 111,000 in 2023). It is surprising to find in this ranking two small models from main stream carmakers, while the MHEVs had initially invested in the premium model market.
- Of the top 15 MHEV sales in Europe in 2024, there are now 10 models from main stream carmakers, compared to 5 models from premium carmakers: Volvo XC40 (3rd with 61,000 sales), Audi A4 (7th with 54,000 sales), Mercedes GLC (11th with 46,000 sales), Audi A3 (13th with 42,000 sales) and Mercedes A-Class (15th with 39,000 sales).
- Three general models are well placed: the Ford Focus (4th with 59,000 sales), the Fiat 500 (5th with 57,000 sales) which was unfortunately discontinued during the second half of 2024 – which posed a serious problem of poor sales for the Fiat brand and more generally for the Stellantis group – and the Volkswagen Golf (6th with 54,000 sales). Peugeot places two of its models in the Top 15: the 3008 (10th with 47,000 sales) and the 208 (12th with 43,000 sales). Suzuki also places two of its models: the Swift (8th with 52,000 sales) and the Vitara (14th with 41,000 sales). The Nissan Qashqai is 9th with 49,000 sales. It is to be noted that in the case of Stellantis, the MHEV technology used allow their models to run in a full electric mode, for a very short distance, which is not the case for most of the models from the competition.
The Toyota Yaris Cross is the best-selling and most-produced F-HEV in Europe in 2024
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The Toyota Yaris Cross is the best-selling and most-produced F-HEV in Europe in 2024
- In a European market (30 countries = EU + United Kingdom + Switzerland + Norway) of 1.2 million full-hybrids (F-HEV) in 2024 (up 27.6% compared to 2023), the Toyota Yaris and Yaris Cross are consolidating their lead over their competitors.
- In a European market that is increasingly interested in this technology (pushed by the Toyota group since the 2000s), in particular due to an increased offer (Renault, Dacia, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia), the Toyota group has decided to generalize the full-hybrid engine across its entire most representative European range (Yaris, Yaris Cross, Corolla, CHR, RAV4, Camry, Lexus).
- The HEV market share in Europe reaches 9.3% in 2024 compared to 7.4% in 2023 and 7.3% in 2022. The production volume of this type of vehicle reached 1 million units in Europe in 2024.
- It is in this context that sales of the Yaris Cross F-HEV (160,000 units) and Yaris F-HEV (142,000 units), leaders of the F-HEV market, have increased further in 2024 compared to 2023, ahead of two other Toyota models, the Corolla F-HEV (98,000 units) and CHR F-HEV (85,000 units). Behind these four Toyota models, the outsider Renault has made enormous progress and places four of its models: Austral F-HEV (73,000 units), Captur F-HEV (56,000 units), Clio F-HEV (55,000 units) and Arkana F-HEV (43,000 units).
- Behind these four Renault models are the Toyota RAV4 (42,000 units), the Dacia Duster F-HEV (36,000 units) and the Nissan Juke (34,000 units). The Nissan Qashqai is making progress but is not yet in the Top 15, which is unlikely to happen soon.
- The MG 3 F-HEV made a remarkable entry into the Top 15 (13th place), with 27,000 sales, ahead of the Ford Kuga F-HEV (25,000 sales) and the Hyundai Kona F-HEV (22,000 sales). According to Inovev , F-HEV sales will continue to grow in the coming years, helping carmakers to reach the European CO2 short and mid-terms objective, at least until the potential ban of thermal cars in 2035.
The very disappointing debut of the new Lancia Ypsilon
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The very disappointing debut of the new Lancia Ypsilon
- The new generation of the Lancia Ypsilon (which replaces the older model of the same name, even though it is larger) was presented in February 2024 for a launch in June 2024. Production of the model began in February 2024 (in Zaragoza, Spain), while the old Ypsilon (produced in Tichy, Poland) continued until November 2024. The first months of sales of the new Ypsilon showed that demand for this new model was well below the old model. Over the whole of 2024, 3,900 new Ypsilons were sold out of 4,000 produced, while this figure practically corresponds to the monthly volume of the old Ypsilon.
- It is true that at the beginning of its career, only the battery electric version was available for sale. The micro-hybrid thermal version (MHEV) was added to the battery electric version, which was in low demand from autumn 2024. The battery electric version has only represented a thousand sales since its launch, due to an elitist price (34,800 euros to 37,800 euros depending on the trim) compared to the competition and especially compared to the old thermal Ypsilon. The micro-hybrid thermal version (MHEV), powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine developing 100 hp, is cheaper (from 24,500 euros to 27,500 euros depending on the trim) but still too expensive for owners of the old Ypsilon.
- In January and February 2025, the 1,000 monthly sales mark was exceeded, but at this rate, between 15,000 and 25,000 units will be sold over the whole year, compared to 50,000 old Ypsilon sold each year between 2020 and 2023.
- This poor performance could have an impact on the sustainability of the Lancia brand, which only exists on one model.
The Volvo XC60 is the best-selling PHEV in Europe in 2024 but not the most produced
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The Volvo XC60 is the best-selling PHEV in Europe in 2024 but not the most produced
- In a European market (30 countries = EU + United Kingdom + Switzerland + Norway) of 0.95 million plug-in hybrids (PHEV) in 2024, down 3.6% compared to 2023, the production volume of PHEVs in the same area reached 1.1 million units, slightly down compared to 2023. The market share of vehicles equipped with this technology in Europe returns to 7.3% in 2024 compared to 7.7% in 2023 and 9.0% in 2022. The decline in PHEV sales in Europe has been effective since 2021, with customers turning instead to battery electric models (BEV) or even full-hybrid models (F-HEV).
- The Volvo XC60 became the best-selling PHEV model in Europe in 2024, with 58,500 units, but it is not the most produced as this position goes to the Volkswagen Tiguan, which is exported more outside the European continent than the Volvo XC60.
- This is a new development since in 2023, the most produced PHEV model in Europe was the Mercedes GLC (this model being exported to the USA unlike the Ford Kuga produced in the USA under the name Ford Escape). These three models are SUVs, thus proving the strong representation of this type of engine on SUVs.
- This is why the Ford Kuga (42,500 sales) is 2nd in the ranking of the top 15 PHEV sales in Europe in 2024, the Mercedes GLC 3rd (37,500 sales), the BMW X1 4th (29,000 sales), the Cupra Formentor 5th (27,300 sales), Volvo XC90 7th (24,200 sales), Porsche Cayenne 8th (23,600 sales), Volkswagen Tiguan 9th (22,200 sales), Kia Sportage 11th (20,200 sales) and Hyundai Tucson 12th (19,600 sales), all these models are SUVs. The only sedans in the Top 15 PHEVs are the BMW 3 Series in 6th (24,200 sales) and the Audi A3 in 10th (21,000 sales).
- According to Inovev, PHEV sales will continue to decline in the European market over the next few years, unlike in China.
Stellantis Luton plant closed on March 31, 2025
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Stellantis Luton plant closed on March 31, 2025
- As was seriously considered since last year, the Stellantis group announced the closure of its British plant in Luton, which had only produced vans (thermal and battery electric) in the N1-2 segment since 2002, i.e. since the end of production of the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra sedan. This plant was one of the two Opel/Vauxhall factories present on British soil, along with the one in Ellesmere Port, which continues to assemble battery electric vans in the N1-1 segment (Opel/Vauxhall e-Combo, Citroën e- Berlingo , Peugeot e-Partner) since the end of the Opel/Vauxhall Astra sedan in 2022, transferred to the German site in Rüsselsheim.
- The production volume of the Luton plant had not exceeded 86,671 vehicles in 2024. The models produced were the Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro, Citroën Jumpy, Peugeot Expert and Fiat Scudo. These models, also produced at the French plant of Hordain, will be transferred to two different sites, Hordain which produced 157,689 vehicles in 2024 and which will take over the thermal versions of the vans produced in Luton (74,671 units in 2024), and Ellesmere Port in the United Kingdom which produced 17,911 vehicles in 2024 and which will take over the battery electric versions of the vans produced in Luton (12,000 units in 2024), the Stellantis group wishing to group together the electric versions of its N1-1 and N1-2 vans on the same site, that of Ellesmere Port.
- This decision was also taken considering that the production capacity of the Hordain site (180,000 vehicles per year) was insufficient to receive all of Luton's production.
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