By Andrea Hargraves 
June broke the record for electric vehicle sales (taking into account 100% Electric Vehicles or BEV – Battery Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles or PHEV – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles), with 7,316 new and imported used cars registered in one month, of which 6,192 were new electric vehicles – the first half of 2023 closed with 37,267 electric vehicles sold in Portugal, of which 309 63 new electric vehicles, according to data revealed Tuesday by the Electric Vehicle Users Association (UVE).
In June, 3,650 100% electric vehicles (BEVs) and 2,542 plug-in hybrids (BEVs) were sold: sales of new electric vehicles in Portugal, since the beginning of the year, have exceeded 30,000 units (with 30,963 new vehicles sold).
If you compare total sales in the first half of 2023 (18,735), that number is more than double the total sales for 2020 (8,137) and far exceeds the total sales for 2021 (14,057). All in all, we’re less than 1,500 units away from surpassing last year’s total (20176).
In the BEV and PHEV backlog, there is very sharp growth, but with PHEV sales slowing in recent months, that doesn’t fully replicate the impressive impact of growth in 100% electric vehicle sales. Of course, it is important to note that in the whole of 2021, 29,724 electric vehicles (BEV and PHEV) were sold, however, after a year and a half, this figure has been exceeded in just six months.
In terms of 100% electric vehicles (BEV), the year-over-year change in June of this year represented 99.1% growth, practically doubling the number of units sold, and this semester, the year-over-year change. It represents a growth of 108.5%. The monthly market share was 15.1% and the annual share was 14.6%. Either way, one in seven passenger vehicles sold is a 100% electric vehicle (BEV).
The best selling electric car brands in Portugal
Tesla continues to establish itself as the brand that sells the most 100% electric vehicles (BEV) in Portugal. Last June, it topped 800 units, selling 862, far ahead of Peugeot (319), Mercedes-Benz (281) and BMW (241), which collectively sold less than Tesla. In the group of two types (BEV and PHEV), the panorama was the same, and Tesla is in first place in selling electric vehicles.
In this first quarter of 2023, Tesla maintained its lead in sales of 100% electric passenger cars with 4,108 units sold, far ahead of its direct competitors, Volkswagen (1,349), Peugeot (1,346), BMW (1,312) and Mercedes-Benz (1,087).
Also in the group of electric vehicles (BEV and PHEV) Tesla retains leadership, with 4,108 vehicles sold, despite the fact that, as we know, it sells only 100% electric vehicles. In the immediate places we have BMW (3867), Mercedes-Benz (3425), Peugeot (2489) and Volvo (1989), brands that sell both types of electric vehicles (BEV and PHEV).