Self-charging hybrid cars, which operate on both an internal combustion engine and a battery, outsold diesel cars in Europe for the first time in 2021, albeit by just 48 vehicles, data showed on Wednesday.
Self-charging hybrid cars contain a battery charged by an internal combustion engine, and generally can only drive a limited distance on electric power.
One in 11 cars sold were battery-electric, the data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association showed, totaling just under 880,000 vehicles.
Plug-in hybrids are powered primarily by a battery charged externally and thus seen as more environmentally friendly, but are backed up by an internal combustion engine, while battery-electric cars run on the battery alone.