THERE was only one number one in Europe last year: Tesla.
Absolutely hijacking the electric car charts, the Tesla Model 3 was number one in Europe by some margin.
According to the European Electric Car Study from analyst Matthias Schmidt, the Model 3 accounted for every ninth new electric car in Europe during 2021.
There were nearly 140,000 Model 3s registered across 18 markets in Europe (the original EU member states prior to the 2004 enlargement plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland as well as the UK).
In second place was the Renault Zoe with half that number.
Germany soaked up the most Model 3s accounting for one in four cars – helped by the strong government funding which also helped offer attractive leasing deals requiring no deposits, with rates starting at €299 per month (around £250).
It was closely followed by the UK.
Tesla swapped manufacture of the Model 3 from the US to China halfway through the year. The new model Y is due to be produced at the all-new Tesla factory just outside Berlin.