2023-08-02 06:40:00
After the Covid years and the microchip crisis, the recovery is confirmed on the French market, but we are still far from the best years.
Le Point Auto with AFP The French, for their personal car, choose the occasion which explains the difficulties of the new market and the canonical age of the fleet at…11.3 years © NICOLAS GUYONNET / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP Posted on 2023-08-02 at 06:40
Too many uncertainties, an electricity strategy that is struggling to convince outside companies and the gloomy economic outlook are undermining household morale. In this disturbed context, the French automobile market is doing a little less badly in July, driven by the Renault and Volkswagen groups, according to sales figures published Tuesday by the manufacturers.
With 128,947 new passenger cars registered, the market recorded growth of 19.9% compared to July 2022. Light commercial vehicles (less than 5.1 tonnes) are also on the rise (+20.95%). To relativize. Shortages of electronic chips and logistical problems are almost over, but the market remains far from its pre-pandemic performance: 172,228 cars were sold in July 2019, according to figures from the Automotive Platform (PFA, representing manufacturers and equipment manufacturers).
“The fundamentals of the market are getting back in place,” commented François Roudier for the PFA. Microchip shortages and logistical problems are less than in 2022, and manufacturers have been able to deliver more vehicles.
“After a first half under the sign of recovery, the month of July does not overshadow the picture,” commented the firm AAA Data. The market is notably driven by sales to companies (+ 39%), pushed by the executive to choose electrified vehicles. On the side of individuals, “the dynamism is less [+ 21 %] “, notes the consulting firm, “probably because of a purchasing power burdened in particular by an inflationary context”.
However, this twelfth consecutive month of increase does not promise a return to record sales: order books remain thin, linked to the gloomy economic context, analyzes Mr. Roudier. Over the first seven months of 2023, with 1,018,723 registrations of new passenger cars, the market grew by 15.83% in raw data compared to a weak year in 2022.
The electrified pushed by the fiscal framework
The second-hand market also continued its recovery with 451,293 registrations in July (+6%), but it was driven by vehicles over 5 years old. Not enough to rejuvenate the canonical age of the French park. It is in fact 11.3 years compared with 5.8 years in 1980. This is not how we will improve safety and the level of polluting emissions.
As for manufacturers, the Renault group recorded strong growth in July (25.2% market share, with +30.8% over one year). The group is driven in particular by the Renault Clio and the Dacia Sandero, No. 1 and No. 3 in sales since the start of the year.
The Franco-Italian-American Stellantis remains the leading group on the French market, with 25.9% of volumes, but saw its sales drop by 7% compared to an already low month of July 2022. Peugeot in particular fell by 8.8% and Citroën by 11.3%. In June 2022, Stellantis had over 33.3% market share.
The Volkswagen group is also benefiting from the recovery with 15.44% market share (+ 47.24%), driven by its main brand but also by Audi and Skoda.
Hybrid engines posted a remarkable month of July (36% of sales with +43% market share). They represent 32.3% of sales since the start of the year, compared to 29.4% over the first 7 months of 2022. Electrics are growing even faster with 15.2% of the market (compared to 12.1% in 2022 ). These electrified vehicles have become an almost mandatory option for companies encouraged by the tax framework.
The best-selling 100% electric car, the Tesla Model Y, has been in 9th place across all engines since the start of the year.
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