BMW has for the first time overtaken Tesla in the European electric car market.

The German brand delivered 14,869 new EVs in Europe last month, 308 more than its American rival.

Tesla experienced a slump in Europe in July, with registrations of its Model Y SUV falling by 16% to 9544 and those of its Model 3 saloon falling by 17% to 4694.

The total number of EV sales in Europe fell by 6% year on year, which market analyst Jato Dynamics attributed to the lack of government incentives and buyers’ concerns about resale values.

Europe’s best-selling EV last month was the Model Y, followed by the Volvo EX30 with 6573 sales and the Volkswagen ID 4 with 5295.

The overall European market grew by 2% compared with July 2023 to 1.03 million cars – of which 54% were SUVs.

Jato analyst Felipe Munoz said: “Consumers in Europe now have access to more choice than ever before, and SUVs are a more comfortable and desirable option for many.

“This alongside the increasing availability of affordable models is helping consumers to make the switch from traditional segments to SUVs.”

The best-selling model was the Dacia Sandero, with 22,398 sales, followed by the Volkswagen T-Roc (19,254) and the Toyota Yaris Cross (17,314). 

The Ford Puma, the UK’s best-seller in 2023, slipped to 20th place in Europe as registrations fell by 25% year-on-year to 10,342.