Due to chip shortages, new car registrations in Europe hit a 26-year low in September, and agencies predict that sales this year may not exceed those of last year, which was affected by the epidemic blockade.

The number of new car registrations fell 25 per cent to 972723 in September, the lowest since 1995, the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on Friday. The association blamed the decline mainly on a shortage of semiconductor chips.

After three consecutive months of decline, new car sales in Europe have fallen more this year than they have grown. Although the contraction was unthinkable in early 2021, when the European Automobile Manufacturers Association expected growth of about 10% this year, some market researchers are starting to predict it.

"We currently do not expect this year's performance to exceed the weak 2020," LMC Automotive said in a report. Our assumption is that procurement problems will accompany us throughout next year and continue to undermine the link between positive potential demand drivers and new car sales. "