Feb 20 Reuters New car sales in the European Union rose 12.1 yearonyear in January, helped by doubledigit growth in Germany and Italy, data showed on Tuesday, with registrations of fully electric cars growing in annual terms but slumping from December.

Total registrations at Europe39;s two largest carmakers Volkswagen and Stellantis rose by 11.5 and 15 respectively in January, but were down 2.9 at Renault, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA showed.

Sales of new battery electric BEV cars dropped 42.3 from December to 92,741 vehicles, although that was a 29 increase from a year earlier.

The trend was driven by Germany and France, the two biggest BEV markets in the bloc, where fully electric sales fell respectively by 59 and 46 from the previous month, but rose 24 and 37 from a year earlier.

The figures reflect a global slowdown in electric vehicle sales, which dropped 26 in January from December but rose 69 from a year earlier, according to data published last week, as subsidy cuts or tighter rules in Germany and France weighed, among other factors.

As the high cost of EVs has become a barrier to broader mass adoption, Stellantis and Renault are trying to develop more affordable EVs.

EVs whether fully electric models, plugin hybrids or full hybrids accounted for 47.5 of all new EU passenger car registrations in January, up from 42.7 a year earlier, but down from 53.3 in December.

U.S. EV pioneer Tesla saw a 66.9 yearly increase in EU…