3 min read The logo of US company Tesla displayed at the Paris Motor Show at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris on October 16, 2024. Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP Source: AFP PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! Musk has since announced he will reduce his work helping Trump slash US government spending and last week said that Tesla sales are "doing well". Hybrid leaders Skoda's new Elroq led electric car sales while Tesla's Model Y, the former frontrunner, came ninth. Sales of electric cars overall rose 26.4 percent from last year to take a 15.3 percent share of the market in April, according to the ACEA. The rise is uneven across Europe as different governments and manufacturers give different incentives to buy electric. Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain have seen a major rise while electric car sales in France have fallen. "The share of battery-electric vehicles is slowly getting momentum, but growth remains incremental and uneven across EU countries," said Sigrid de Vries, ACEA's director general. "In order for battery-electric vehicles to become a mainstream choice, it is essential that governments continue to implement the necessary enabling conditions, such as purchase and fiscal incentives, recharging infrastructure and electricity prices. "The sustained popularity of hybrid vehicles among consumers also shows the merit of keeping a technology-neutral approach," she added. Sales of hybrid cars with a small electric battery still dominate the European market, rising 20.8 percent since the start of the year, while petrol-only cars have fallen 20.6 percent over the same time. The Volkswagen group remains the top brand in Europe, with sales up 2.9 percent in April. But Chinese brands were a major factor in the popularity of electric and hybrid cars, according to JATO and have 7.9 percent of the European market. The BYD, MG, Xpeng and Leapmotor brands saw sales rise 59 percent over the year in electric and hybrid sales, while other manufacturers put on 26 percent. JATO expert Felipe Munoz said it remains to be seen whether the European Union imposes tariffs on Chinese hybrid cars as it has for electric vehicles. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: AFP