PARIS, July 23 (AFP) — Electric vehicles more than doubled their share of new car sales in Europe in the second quarter, with hybrids also making gains, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said Friday.

All-electric vehicles accounted for 7.5 percent of new car sales in Europe in the three months from April through June, against 3.5 percent during that period last year.

In absolute terms, sales of battery electric vehicles more than tripled across Europe to reach 210,298 cars.

The ACEA said there were substantial gains in the region's top four markets, led by sales more than quadrupling in Spain and Germany.

"Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) had an even more impressive second quarter of 2021, with registrations jumping by 255.8 percent to 235,730 units," said the ACEA.

Sales of hybrids also more than tripled to 541,162 vehicles, remaining the largest category of alternatively-powered cars.

Meanwhile, registrations of new petrol and diesel vehicles increased given the low number of vehicles sold in the second quarter last year, when many European countries had severe restrictions on businesses due to the pandemic.

But in terms of market share, both petrol and diesel saw huge drops. 

Diesel saw its market share plunge to 20.4 percent from 29.4 percent. 

Petrol had a bigger contraction, to 41.8 percent from 51.9 percent.