Germany has suffered a “spectacular” drop in electric car sales as the European Union faces growing calls to delay its net zero vehicle targets.

Some 51% of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) newly registered in Germany in the first two thirds of the year were SUVs, according to government figures published on Tuesday. If off-road vehicles are included,

Germany’s electric-vehicle market plunged last month, leading a broader decline in Europe that’s left carmakers calling on Brussels to reconsider key climate targets. EV deliveries in the region’s biggest car market fell 69% during August,

In the latest sign the EV revolution has slammed into reverse, just 92,627 battery-only powered cars were registered in the EU last month.

(Reuters) -New car sales in the European Union fell 18.3% in August to their lowest in three years, dragged down by double-digit losses in major markets Germany, France and Italy and sliding electric vehicle (EV) sales, auto industry body data showed on Thursday.

Europe-wide, EV market share has shrunk to 14 percent in the region through August, down from just over 15 percent as government incentives fall away in a range of countries and consumers battling high living costs shy away from purchasing expensive EVs.