Despite seeing overall European car sales in February plummet by 20% compared to same month a year prior, plug-in vehicle sales soared by 66%. Those strong numbers helped launch the Tesla Model 3 to the top spot in the monthly European sales rankings.
According to data compiled by the EV Sales blog, Tesla registered 5,506 deliveries in the 28-day month. That put it nearly 2,000 units ahead of the second place Volkswagen ID.3, which registered 3,808 deliveries in the same time period.
Rounding out the top three was the Renault Zoe with 3,620 deliveries.
The top spot for the Model 3 gives Tesla its first monthly win since September 2020. The top European market for the electric sedan was Germany, making up 1,910 of the monthly total. Next was France (1,166), Austria (369), and Norway (334).
Given recent trends, the EV Sales blog is estimating a high tide month for March, expecting Tesla to reach as many as 15,000 deliveries.
If it does, it could send Tesla to the top spot for the first quarter. It is a close race after the first two months of 2021. Tesla is sitting in third place with 7,013 deliveries, just 134 behind the first place Volvo XC40 PHEV.
