U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #575: June 15, 2009
Diesel Car Sales in Europe Still Over 50% in 2008

More than half of all cars sold in Western Europe since 2006 are fueled by diesel. The overall share of diesel sales, however, declined slightly from 2007 to 2008. Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom continued the growth in diesel penetration, but many other European countries experienced a slight decline in the share of diesel cars sold in 2008.

Western Europe Diesel Car Market Share, 1999-2008
Graph showing the Western Europe (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and United Kingdom) Diesel Car Market Share for the years 1999 through 2008. For more detailed information, see the table below.
* Beginning in 2005, Belgium data also include Luxembourg.

Supporting Information

Western Europe Diesel Car Sales Shares, 1999-2008
  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Belgium* 54.3% 56.7% 62.6% 64.2% 68.3% 69.9% 72.9% 74.7% 76.9% 78.7%
France 44.1% 49.0% 56.2% 63.2% 67.4% 69.2% 69.1% 71.4% 73.9% 77.3%
Germany 22.4% 30.4% 34.6% 38.0% 39.8% 44.0% 42.7% 44.3% 47.7% 44.1%
Italy 29.1% 33.7% 36.6% 43.6% 48.7% 58.4% 58.5% 58.2% 55.7% 50.6%
Norway 8.2% 9.0% 13.3% 17.5% 23.2% 27.0% 39.2% 48.4% 74.4% 72.4%
Spain 51.7% 53.1% 52.5% 57.3% 60.4% 65.1% 67.8% 70.0% 70.8% 69.3%
Switzerland 6.6% 9.2% 13.3% 17.8% 21.5% 25.9% 28.1% 30.0% 32.5% 32.4%
United Kingdom 13.8% 14.1% 17.8% 23.5% 27.3% 32.5% 36.8% 38.3% 40.2% 43.6%
Total 28.4% 32.3% 36.0% 40.4% 43.6% 48.3% 49.5% 51.0% 53.3% 52.6%

* Beginning in 2005, Belgium data also include Luxembourg.
Note: Total includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Eire, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Source: Automotive Industry Data Newsletter, Nos. 0102, 0302, 0501, 0602, 0702, 0714 and 0904.

 

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