Car market: Ten percent plus in April
GROWTH The automotive market in Switzerland and Liechtenstein is defying the economic challenges and showed impressive growth in April.
In April of this year, the market for new passenger cars in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein experienced impressive growth of 10.4 percent despite the general economic downturn. A total of 20,040 new registrations were registered, a significant increase compared to the 18,150 in April last year, which was still characterized by supply bottlenecks and parts shortages. The industry thus experienced its strongest April since 2021 and recorded a slight increase in new registrations of 0.4% since the beginning of the year compared to the first quarter of 2023.
New drive trends
The preference for drive technologies has continued to shift. According to Christoph Wolnik, media spokesman for auto-schweiz, the petrol car remains the leader with a market share of almost a third despite a decline, closely followed by hybrid drives without plugs, which also account for almost a third of the market. Plug-in hybrids are also recording growth, while electric cars are lagging somewhat behind expectations with a slight decline of 0.2 percent to 13,603 new registrations and a market share of 17.6 percent.
Consumer behavior and regulatory challenges
The ongoing uncertainty among consumers, caused by fluctuations in the energy market and the discussions surrounding the Electricity Act, continues to influence decisions in the vehicle market. According to Peter Grünenfelder, President of auto-schweiz, the upcoming referendum on the Electricity Act on June 9 could be decisive in setting the necessary course for a successful transformation to electromobility. The switch to electric drives can only succeed with a secure power supply and sufficient charging infrastructure.
Outlook
The development of the market in the coming months will largely depend on the overall economic situation, the availability of new vehicles and political support for sustainable mobility solutions. The coming month and the vote on the Electricity Act will show in which direction the automotive market will move.
