The French Automotive Market in 2024

Welcome to the world of the French automotive market, where cars are almost as numerous as baguettes in Paris! With vehicles aging like fine wine and new technologies evolving at high speed, it is easy to get lost in the numbers. Between the aging fleet and the rise of electric vehicles, we are preparing to say goodbye to diesel engines and hello to a new era of modern cars. Hold on tight, the journey will be as captivating as a road trip across France.

Automotive Industry Goals and Achievements for 2023

The French automotive industry had set ambitious goals for 2023, aiming to increase sales of electric vehicles fivefold and develop charging infrastructure. The objective was to put 1 million electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles into circulation and install 100,000 publicly accessible charging points, a milestone that was reached in May 2023. Although the fleet is still being renewed to electric vehicles, the deployment of charging points is progressing more quickly, thus preparing the sector to welcome new electric motorists in good conditions in anticipation of the ban on the sale of thermal vehicles scheduled for 2035.

Employment and training in 2024

The French automotive industry remains an important sector in terms of employment, with more than 560,000 people working in this field, 90% of whom are on permanent contracts (CDI). In 2023, salaried employment in the sector increased by 1.3%. The maintenance and repair sector continues to grow, representing 40% of employees in the sector, despite the predominance of very small enterprises (VSEs) which make up 96%. At the same time, 71,282 young people were in training in the automotive sector in 2023, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year. Among them, 40,726 were in work-study programs, with an increase of 6.2%, highlighting the growing importance of practical learning in this sector.

French vehicle fleet

At the end of 2023, the French vehicle fleet comprised 48.9 million cars, of which 38 million were light vehicles, representing 77.5% of the total. The fleet is mainly made up of vehicles with diesel engines, which still constitute 53.2% of cars. Petrol engines follow with 40.3%, while alternative engines, including hybrids and electrics, represent only 6.5% of the fleet.

Registrations

In the first six months of 2024, the French new passenger car market grew by 2.82%, with a total of 914,890 registrations. This growth is marked by a strong increase in hybrid and electric models. Hybrid cars now represent 38.7% of registrations, recording a 25% increase compared to the previous year, while electric cars captured 17.4% of the market with a growth of 15%. However, May 2024 was less favorable, with a decrease of 2.91% and 141,298 registrations.

The French automotive market is evolving rapidly, with a transition to electric vehicles and an expanding charging network. The road to 2035 looks full of exciting changes.