BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The car market in the EU continued to grow in February. Last month, new registrations rose by 10.1 percent year-on-year to 883,608 cars, according to the European manufacturers' association Acea in Brussels on Thursday. Of the four largest EU markets, France saw the strongest growth at 13 percent, followed by Italy with a slightly lower increase. Spain, with an increase of just under ten percent, and Germany, with a good five percent, did less well. In January, new car registrations in the EU were up by a good twelve percent. The market share of battery electric vehicles (BEV) remained stable in February at 12 percent compared to the previous year.

Last month, the Volkswagen Group remained the market leader in the EU overall and with its core brand VW Passenger Cars. The Group recorded an increase in registrations of just under ten percent. Stellantis (Fiat, Peugeot, Opel) as number two achieved an increase in new registrations of twelve percent, while number three Renault recorded an increase of just under six percent.

BMW achieved an increase of just over three percent. New registrations of Mercedes-Benz fell by four percent./men/mis