France: registered passenger cars 2011-2023

The French fleet has grown recently, increasing from around 35.3 million passenger cars in 2011 to nearly 38.9 million in January 2023. The volume of passenger vehicles in circulation had been steadily rising until 2022, despite the COVID-19 pandemic which led to lower car sales in the country.

Reduction in new passenger car registrations in France

While the number of newly registered passenger cars has varied much more in recent years, figures also follow a downward trend from the 2009 peak. Unlike the overall trend, electric passenger car registrations significantly rose since their arrival on the French automotive market. The annual number of newly registered electric passenger cars increased considerably between 2010 and 2023. This shift towards electric cars and away from passenger vehicles with an internal combustion engine is in part linked to the fact passenger cars made up 19 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in France in 2018, more than road freight and residential heating.

Crude oil and nuclear power: challenges to fleet sustainability

The fall of motor vehicle fuel prices throughout the pandemic led to concerns involving the CO₂ emissions released by passenger cars, with lower prices incentivizing fuel consumption. Motor fuel prices were quick to rebound due in part to the price inflation brought on by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, dependence on crude oil is not the only hurdle the French car fleet faces. France has reduced its CO₂ emissions in recent years, despite a sharp year-over-year increase in 2021. However, heavy reliance on nuclear power in France's energy production might prove challenging for electric vehicle charging.