European EV sales drop 12% in May as German subsidies and French discounts end

Germany ended EV subsidies of €3,000 to €4,500 at the start of 2024, earlier than planned, and cut €45 billion in climate spending for 2024 due to constitutional spending limits.
This led to a 31% drop in battery electric vehicle registrations in Germany in May compared to the previous year.
In France, subsidies were restricted to EU-made EVs, favoring French brands like Renault, Peugeot, and Citroen.
Despite increased sales in Denmark (+63%) and Belgium (+45%), overall European EV sales fell, with significant declines in Italy (-18.3%), Austria (-16.5%), Finland (-32%), and Ireland (-40%).