The month of July 2023 is symbolic for the European car market as it will be the twelfth consecutive month of growth. With 1,022,468 units*, the European car market is up 16.7% compared to July 2022, although it remains at a level well below that of 2019, as it is still down 22%. In July, electric vehicles continued to grow and now represent 13.6% of the market (compared to 9.8% in July 2022), leaving purely thermal vehicles with only 49.9% of the market, which has consequences for Citroën in particular.
Sales of the
ALFA ROMEO, up 35.1% to 4,060 units for a market share of 0.4%.
CITROËN, down 17.2% to 25,735 units for a market share of 2.5%; and
DS were down 5.2% to 3,788 units for a market share of 0.4%.
FIAT were down 4.9% to 31,398 units for a market share of 3.1%.
JEEP were up 33.4% to 10,538 units for a market share of 1%.
LANCIA were up 8.1% to 3,354 units for a market share of 0.3%.
OPEL were down 1% to 34,391 units for a market share of 3.4%.
PEUGEOT fell 3.9% to 46,193 units, giving a market share of 4.5%.
Stellantis** sales totalled 160,251 units, down 3.3% for a market share of 15.7%, putting the group in second place in terms of sales behind the Volkswagen Group, but with a gap that is widening over the months and for July represents almost 12 points of market share. Almost all of the Group's brands are in decline, but Citroën has suffered the most with a further 17% fall, and is now paying for a range that is not in line with the market or, in any case, not targeted at the entire market. In fact, since the arrival of electrified engines and their acceleration in recent months, the share of purely thermal vehicles has decreased and fell below 50% in July. As the vehicles in the range do not offer all the engine types available, Citroën is forced to address only part of the market and not the whole.
Here, for example, is the market level for each model in the range:
- C3 and C3 Aircross: 49.9% of the market (petrol, diesel)
- C4: 63.5% of the market (petrol, diesel + electric)
- C5 Aircross: 57.8% of the market (petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid) but 83.4% when the new Puretech hybrid engine is offered in all European markets
- C5 X: 43.7% of the market (petrol, plug-in hybrid)
- Berlingo: 13.6% of the market (electric)
Obviously, this analysis is biased by the fact that the distribution of the various engines differs according to segment, but it is clear that Citroën, like Stellantis, is not targeting the entire market, which may explain a decline in market share, even if other problems explain it.
* Includes sales in EU, EFTA + UK
** Includes sales by Maserati, Ram, Abarth, for which figures are not detailed.