Europe's Best Selling Electric Car Is the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera

The OpelOpelGermany, 1863 > present85 models
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/VauxhallVauxhallUnited Kingdom, 1857 > present31 models
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AmperaOpel AmperaGermany, 2009 > present8 versions
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is Europe's best selling electric vehicle with 21% market share as of October 2012. It leads EV sales in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

“The Ampera is still the dominant leader of the European electric passenger car segment. Considering that the demand of the EV market is smaller than originally predicted by analysts and car makers, we are extremely pleased that we have consolidated our leadership position in the market," said Opel Vice President of Sales Alfred E. Rieck.

The Ampera holds 66% of the EV market share in the Netherlands, 31% in Switzerland, 28% in Germany and 22% in Belgium. 

Still, EVs are not as popular in Europe as expected. Sales in the segment are up 130% over last year, but only 1 in 1000 cars sold in Germany are EVs. EVs are most popular in Norway where 30 in every 1000 cars are EVs.

The European economic environment is harming EV sales the most. Buyers do not want to spend significantly more on an EV over a slightly less economical but far cheaper diesel.