Electric car sales grow by 147% in February

In total, there were 3,345 registrations. In the same period of 2021, 1,389 vehicles were sold

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According to data from Fenabrave (National Federation of Motor Vehicle Distribution), sales of electrified cars in Brazil had the best month of February in the historical series of ABVE (Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association).

In total, there were 3,435 registrations, equivalent to an increase of 147% over February 2021 (1,389) and 34% over January 2022 (2,558).

It also corresponds to 2.8% of total domestic sales of cars and light commercial vehicles in Brazil, which were 120,192.

In January, for example, the market share of electrified vehicles was 2.2%. In 2021 (January to December), 1.8%.

These numbers refer to the sum of cars, light commercial vehicles and hybrid utility vehicles/SUVs (HEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and electric 100% (BEV).

According to ABVE, in February, once again the market was driven by hybrids (68% of the total number of electrified vehicles), especially ethanol flex hybrids (60%).

Considering only the plug-in electrics, they accounted for 20% of the segment's sales and the electric 100% with 12%, with a total of 1,091 units registered last month, or 0.9% of market share.

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Market analysis

For Adalberto Maluf, president of ABVE, sales in Brazil are growing. “However, if we compare only electric vehicles, Brazil registered only 0.9% of the total in February”.

Maluf compared this percentage with that of Germany, for example, whose tram sales jumped from 3% of the local market in 2019 to 26% in 2021 (25% in February 2022).

In China it is also possible to see a growth curve. Vehicle sales of BEVs + PHEVs reached 13% of the country's market in 2021. In Europe, this market share reached 17% last year. In the United States, 4%.

According to ABVE, the global light electric market (BEV + PHEV) reached 8.3% of total sales, with 6.7 million cars sold in 2021.

In Brazil, last year, sales of electrified vehicles were 34,990 units, including HEVs, or 1.8% of the total. “This scenario should become a challenge for the insertion of Brazilian factories into global production chains”, added Maluf.

“If we do not advance much further in the electrification of transport, we will run the risk of seeing more closures of production parks in Brazil”, he highlighted.

Matthew Badra

Journalist graduated from PUC-Campinas. He worked as a producer, reporter and presenter on TV Bandeirantes and Metro Jornal. Has been following the Brazilian electricity sector since 2020.