European new car sales see 24.1% slump year-on-year for June

European new car registrations fell in June year-on-year, but showed some improvement when compared to May 2020 as lockdown measures continue to loosen across the region, Tuesday’s industry data showed.

In June, passenger car sales were down by 24.1% when compared to a year ago, with new registrations reaching around 1,131,843 vehicles in countries located in the European Union, Britain, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

In May, car sales fell by 56.8%. However, sales in France increased by 1.2%, boosted by government incentives for low-emission vehicles that were introduced earlier in the month.

New registrations in Germany slumped by 32.3%, while in Spain, Italy and, Portugal saw sales tumble by 36.7%, 23.1%, and 56.2% respectively.

Overall car sales had plummeted 39.5% during the first half of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to disrupt supply chains and showrooms across Europe.