French new-car gross sales rose by 9.4 % in February, the seventh-consecutive month-to-month improve, with Skoda, Nissan and Dacia every recording positive factors of greater than 30 %.

There have been 126,237 registrations in February, commerce group PFA stated. {That a} determine was nonetheless 27 % under February 2019, earlier than the coronavirus pandemic. 

Julien Billon, the CEO of market watcher AAA Knowledge, stated in a launch that deliveries of automobiles ordered months in the past have been driving the elevated demand, however that orders have been down 9 % in contrast with January.

“If this retains up, the stock ready to be placed on the street will run out within the first half of 2023 and the second half will probably be paved with obstacles,” he stated.

The largest gainers amongst quantity manufacturers have been Skoda (+38 %) Nissan (+35 %) and Dacia (+34 %). 

Stellantis, France’s largest group, was down by 4 %, with 18 % positive factors at each DS and Opel failing to offset declines at Citroen (-24 %) and Fiat (-13 %).

Renault Group was up by 21 % on Dacia’s sturdy efficiency and a 14 % acquire at Renault.

Full-electric automobiles accounted for 16 % of gross sales for the month, in contrast with 12 % in February 2022, with plug-in hybrids at 8 %. 

Plug-in hybrids’ market share has remained flat for the previous two years, with EVs’ share greater than doubling in that timeframe.