Europe BEV share hits record in May

By Mathias de Rozario and Amir Orusov

June 18 (Reuters) - Battery electric vehicle registrations in Europe reached a record market share in May, extending strong growth as subsidies, policy support and higher petrol prices lifted demand.

Battery electric vehicle, or BEV, registrations across 17 European markets rose 34.4% from a year earlier to 212,387 vehicles in May, giving fully electric cars a 23.6% market share, data from E-Mobility Europe, New Automotive and Fier Automotive showed.

That followed growth of 34.1% in April and 51.3% in March, according to data from E-Mobility Europe, New Automotive and Fier Automotive, pointing to a continued shift toward electric cars.

"Consumers and governments alike are responding to Europe's energy security challenge, with every new electric car sold cutting fuel costs and permanently reducing oil imports," Chris Heron, Secretary General of E-Mobility Europe, said in a statement.

The data showed local manufacturers held seven of the 10 best-selling BEV models despite rising pressure from Chinese rivals. France posted a 29.5% electric car market share in May, while Germany reached 25% and its BEV registrations rose 41% in the first five months of the year.

Italy remained the fastest-growing market, with registrations doubling so far this year, helped by new subsidies. Northern Europe and the Benelux region also stayed strong, with BEV market share reaching 78.7% in Denmark, 49.6% in Finland, 41.2% in Sweden, 41.3% in the Netherlands and 36.8% in Belgium.

(Reporting by Mathias de Rozario and Amir Orusov; Editing by Matt Scuffham)