Core Viewpoint - The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is driving up gasoline prices, which in turn is leading to a significant increase in the sales of used electric vehicles (EVs) across Europe [1][2]. Group 1: Market Trends - The rise in fuel costs is making consumers hesitant to purchase traditional fuel vehicles, resulting in a surge in demand for electric vehicles in the used car market [2]. - In Norway, the largest used car trading platform, Finn.no, reports that electric vehicles have surpassed diesel cars to become the best-selling vehicle type on their platform [2]. - Data from the European Commission indicates that average gasoline prices in the EU rose by 12% from February 23 to March 16, reaching €1.84 per liter (approximately $2.12) [3]. Group 2: Sales Data - French online used car retailer Aramisauto noted that the proportion of electric vehicles sold increased from 6.5% to 12.7% within three weeks, while gasoline vehicle sales dropped from 34% to 28% and diesel vehicle sales fell from 14% to 10% [3]. - The OLX platform reported significant increases in electric vehicle inquiries across various markets, including France (+50%), Romania (+40%), Portugal (+54%), and Poland (+39%), with all markets showing weekly acceleration in interest [3]. Group 3: Consumer Behavior - The CEO of OLX highlighted that interest in electric vehicles was already on the rise before the recent events, suggesting that the current instability is accelerating an ongoing transition [4]. - The availability of a wider range of used electric vehicle models and the increasing prevalence of battery health certifications are alleviating consumer concerns, further supporting sales growth [4]. - Used electric vehicles are typically priced up to 40% lower than new cars and can be delivered immediately, making them more responsive to market sentiment and fluctuations in gasoline prices [4]. Group 4: Regional Insights - Data from Marketcheck indicates a noticeable and sustained increase in used electric vehicle sales since the outbreak of the conflict [5]. - In the Nordic region, platforms like Blocket reported an 11% increase in electric vehicle sales in the first two weeks of March compared to the previous two weeks, with a 17% rise in browsing activity [5][6]. - Denmark's Bilbasen also observed a rise in electric vehicle search volumes, attributing this trend primarily to rising gasoline prices [6]. - Germany's largest online car market, mobile.de, reported that the proportion of electric vehicle searches surged from 12% to 36% since early March, with inquiries for used electric vehicles increasing by 66% compared to February [6][7].

Key Points - The article highlights a significant decline in the Beijing automotive market, marking the onset of a "deep hibernation" period post-stimulus, with new car transactions dropping to 38,300 units in January, a month-on-month decrease of 41.28% and a year-on-year decrease of 4.45% [21] - The sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) saw a drastic month-on-month decline of 58.63%, although they still accounted for 47.61% of total new car transactions, indicating a weakening growth momentum in this segment [12][21] - The article notes that traditional fuel vehicle brands, such as Volkswagen, Toyota, and Audi, regained market share, suggesting a shift in consumer preference amidst the changing market dynamics [21] - In contrast, the used car market showed resilience, with transactions reaching 51,100 units, a year-on-year increase of 19.94%, despite a month-on-month decline of 10.35% [15][21] - The used car migration rate decreased to 36.18%, indicating a temporary reduction in economic vitality and consumer spending capacity [18][21] - The decline in the automotive market is attributed to the "eating into future demand" effect caused by the anticipation of policy rollbacks at the end of 2025, leading consumers to adopt a more cautious purchasing behavior [21] - Future market recovery will depend on the clarity of new automotive policies, promotional strategies from manufacturers, and the restoration of macroeconomic and consumer confidence [21]

Core Insights - In January, new car sales in Europe experienced a year-on-year decline for the first time since June, influenced by decreased sales in major markets such as Germany, France, Belgium, and Poland [1][5]. Group 1: Sales Performance - Norway saw the most significant decline, with new car registrations in January dropping approximately 76% compared to the same month in 2025 [2][6]. - Overall, new car sales across Europe, including EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland, fell by 3.5% year-on-year to 961,382 vehicles [2][6]. - Gasoline vehicle sales decreased by about 26%, with France experiencing a notable drop of 49% and Germany a decline of 30% [2][6]. - The market share of gasoline vehicles fell from nearly one-third to just over one-fifth [2][6]. Group 2: Electric and Hybrid Vehicles - Sales of pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrid vehicles increased by approximately 14%, 32%, and 6%, respectively, with their total sales accounting for 69% of new car registrations in January, up from 59% in January 2025 [2][6]. Group 3: Manufacturer Performance - Major manufacturers such as Volkswagen, BMW, Renault, and Toyota saw their registrations decline by 3.8%, 5.7%, 15%, and 13.4%, respectively [2][6]. - In contrast, BYD's registrations surged by 165% [2][6]. - Stellantis and Mercedes reported sales growth of 6.7% and 2.8%, respectively [3][7]. - Tesla continued its downward trend, with sales decreasing by 17% year-on-year, marking the 13th consecutive month of decline [4][8].

Core Insights - In January 2026, new car sales in Croatia decreased by 11.5% year-on-year, totaling 3,946 vehicles sold [1] - The market is experiencing a significant shift, with hybrid vehicles surpassing gasoline cars for the first time, accounting for 46% of sales compared to gasoline's 37.5% [1][2] Group 1: Sales Performance - Skoda led the market with 515 units sold, holding a market share of 13% [1] - Volkswagen followed closely with 514 units sold, while Toyota ranked third with 306 units [1] - Luxury car sales remained stable, with Aston Martin and Bentley each selling two units [1] Group 2: Market Composition - Hybrid vehicles sold 1,815 units, representing 46% of the total market share [1] - Gasoline vehicles accounted for 37.5% of sales, while diesel vehicles made up 11.4% [1] - Pure electric vehicles sold 145 units, constituting 3.7% of the market, and gas-powered vehicles represented 1.4% [1]

Group 1 - The core point of the article highlights that in December, the sales of pure electric vehicles in the EU surpassed those of gasoline cars for the first time, indicating a significant shift in consumer preference towards electric vehicles [1][3] - The European automotive market has seen continuous growth for six months, with a projected highest registration level in five years by 2025, although still below pre-pandemic levels [2] - The automotive industry in Europe faces challenges such as competition from China, U.S. import tariffs, and the difficulty of meeting domestic electric vehicle regulations profitably [3] Group 2 - In December, total car sales in the EU increased by 5.8%, approaching 1 million units, with an annual growth of 1.8%, reaching 10.8 million units [3] - Volkswagen and Stellantis saw registration increases of 10.2% and 4.5%, respectively, while Tesla's registrations fell by 20.2%, and BYD's registrations surged by 229.7% [3] - The registrations of pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and hybrid vehicles grew by 51%, 36.7%, and 5.8%, respectively, collectively accounting for 67% of total car registrations in the EU, up from 57.8% in December 2024 [3]

Group 1 - The total number of vehicles in Kyrgyzstan has exceeded 1.9 million, with a year-on-year growth of 13%, becoming a significant environmental concern [1] - The breakdown of vehicles by type includes 972,000 gasoline cars, 339,000 diesel cars, 56,000 natural gas vehicles, and 37,000 hybrid vehicles [1] - In 2025, a total of 15,278 electric vehicles are expected to be imported, accounting for 0.8% of the total vehicle count [1] Group 2 - The proportion of cars aged five years or less is projected to increase from 1.5% in 2024 to 4.5% in 2025 [1] - Bishkek currently has 1,447 natural gas buses and 120 electric buses, with over 100 electric vehicle charging stations established nationwide [1]

Core Insights - Turkey's automotive market experienced a strong start in January 2026, with passenger and light commercial vehicle sales increasing by 9.77% year-on-year to 75,362 units, continuing the robust performance from 2025 [1] - In 2025, Turkey's automotive market achieved a record high, with total sales reaching 1.37 million units, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 10.5% [1] Market Breakdown - In January 2026, passenger car sales reached 61,055 units, marking a 9.14% increase year-on-year, while light commercial vehicle sales rose by 12.56% to 14,307 units [1] - Gasoline vehicles dominated the passenger car segment with sales of 26,671 units, accounting for 43.7% of the market, followed by hybrid models at 18,774 units (30.7%), and pure electric vehicles at 11,304 units (18.5%) [1] Import and Electric Vehicle Insights - Imported vehicles comprised 49,503 units, representing approximately 66% of total sales, maintaining a dominant position in Turkey's automotive market [1] - In the electric vehicle sector, Chinese automaker BYD led the market in January with sales of 3,866 units, while Turkey's local electric vehicle brand Togg followed with 2,029 units sold [1]

Core Insights - BYD's new car registrations in the European market reached 187,657 units in 2025, representing a year-on-year growth of 268.6% [1] - In the EU, BYD's new car registrations grew by 227.8% year-on-year, with market share increasing from 0.4% in 2024 to 1.2% in 2025 [1] Electric Vehicle Market Trends - The market share of pure electric vehicles in the EU reached 17.4% in 2025, up from 13.6% the previous year [1] - Hybrid vehicles accounted for 34.5% of the market share, remaining the preferred choice among EU consumers [1] - The combined market share of gasoline and diesel vehicles decreased from 45.2% in 2024 to 35.5% in 2025 [1] December Market Performance - In December, the market share of new pure electric vehicle registrations in the EU reached 22.6%, surpassing gasoline vehicles at 22.5% for the first time [1]

Core Insights - In 2025, Croatia sold a total of 69,140 new passenger cars, representing an 8.3% increase compared to 2024 [1] - December sales saw a year-on-year growth of 15.4%, reaching 4,206 vehicles [1] Brand Performance - The top-selling brands in Croatia were Skoda (9,458 units, 13.7% market share), Volkswagen (8,594 units, 12.4%), Opel (6,063 units, 8.7%), Renault (5,300 units, 7.7%), and Suzuki (4,299 units, 6.2%) [1] - Among emerging Asian brands, Geely sold 895 units and BYD sold 365 units [1] Fuel Type Distribution - Gasoline vehicles dominated the market with 32,574 units sold, accounting for 47.1% of the market share [1] - Hybrid vehicles followed with sales of 25,270 units, representing 36.5% of the market [1] - Diesel vehicles sold 8,684 units, making up 12.6% of the market [1] - Electric vehicles totaled 1,334 units sold, which is 1.9% of the market [1] - Gasoline-powered vehicles also had sales of 1,278 units, accounting for 1.8% [1]

Core Viewpoint - Chery Automobile is entering the Vietnamese market in 2024, opting for a cooperative approach rather than direct competition with local EV leader VinFast, which currently holds about 30% market share [2][9]. Group 1: Investment and Production Plans - Chery plans to establish a factory in Vietnam's Hai Duong Province with a total investment of approximately $800 million, focusing on producing its main brand "Omoda" and other models [4]. - The initial production capacity of the new factory is set to be between 30,000 to 60,000 vehicles per year, with expectations to increase to 200,000 by 2030 [4]. - The factory is strategically located about two hours from Hanoi and near the major export port of Haiphong, allowing for potential exports to Southeast Asia and Europe [6]. Group 2: Sales and Market Strategy - Chery aims to enhance its sales operations in Vietnam, targeting over 10,000 vehicle sales by 2026 and increasing its dealership network from approximately 40 to 75 [6]. - The current offerings include plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) and gasoline cars, with plans to introduce pure electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HVs) by 2026 [6]. - Chery has a history of exporting vehicles, having sold over 13 million cars in more than 100 countries, but is entering the Vietnamese market later than competitors [8]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The Vietnamese new car market saw over 500,000 vehicle sales from January to November 2025, with VinFast selling 147,450 EVs, showcasing its strong presence [8]. - Chery is exploring potential collaborations with VinFast, including shared EV charging infrastructure, to attract consumer demand without direct competition [9]. - As Chinese automakers like BYD and Geely also plan to enter the Vietnamese market, the competitive environment is expected to intensify, prompting Japanese automakers to possibly adjust their strategies [9].