Europe is pushing electric cars. Volkswagen tripled sales of battery powered cars in 2020 before tough new European Union limits on automobile emissions. In Germany, more people bought electric cars than previously popular diesel vehicles. The EU regulations will drive the adoption into electric cars, despite the pandemic causing recessions and shrinking of the car market.
Volkswagen sold 134,000 battery-operated cars last year and only 45,000 in 2019, including hybrids, the number sold was up to 212,000 versus 82,000 in 2019. One in four cars sold in Germany in December had an electric motor, most likely supported by incentives in government stimulus packages during the recession. The EU implemented a fleet average limit on emissions of carbon dioxide of 95 grams per kilometer driven on January 1. Failure to meet this limit would result in heavy fines.
Read more: Volkswagen triples electric car sales ahead of climate rules