Europe Car Sales Rebound as UK Demand Boosts Battered Industry

European car sales returned to growth last month for the first time since December, with gains in the UK and robust demand for electric vehicles making up for weaker sales in Germany and France.

New-car registrations across the region rose 2.8% in March from a year earlier to 1.42 million units, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said Thursday. The UK drove the increase with a 12% rise, while demand in Italy and Spain was also strong.

The robust sales offer some relief for Europe’s car industry, which is grappling with weak consumer confidence, slumping Chinese sales and now US ...