Market: Not out of the woods yet
BALANCE SHEET 2023 The car market in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein grew by 11.6 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. With a total of 252,214 passenger cars, the quarter of a million mark was surpassed.
With 252,214 new registrations, a significant increase was recorded compared to the previous year, but the 2023 car year still remained well below the long-term pre-pandemic level of around 300,000 registrations. Although the supply difficulties that prevailed in 2022 due to microchip and parts shortages were largely overcome last year, the subdued demand resulted in a below-average year in 2023.
Auto Schweiz media spokesman Christoph Wolnik: "Private customers in particular have been very reluctant to buy cars in the last twelve months. Nevertheless, we expect the market to continue to grow in the new year."
More than 30 percent plug-in vehicles
A new market share record of 30.1% was achieved for electrically rechargeable plug-in vehicles. With a market share of 20.9%, more than one in five new passenger cars on the road in 2023 is fully electric. However, the increase in market share in 2023 was only 3.1 percentage points, compared to 4.5 percentage points in 2022. Hybrid vehicles account for 27.3% of new registrations, petrol engines for 33.3% and diesel engines for 9.3%.
2024 will be a challenging year
The declared aim of car importers is to further increase the market share of plug-in vehicles. This is the only way to reduce CO2-target values are achieved without sanctions and future requirements in the Climate Protection Act are met.
Auto Schweiz President Peter Grünenfelder: "But 2024 will be a challenging year for electromobility in Switzerland - because politicians have massively worsened the framework conditions for e-vehicles. On January 1, not only was the exemption for electric cars from the four percent automobile tax abolished, but electricity prices also rose by an average of 18 percent. The purchase and operation of electric vehicles will therefore become significantly more expensive for consumers in the new year. Everyone is called upon to push ahead with the expansion of the charging infrastructure and improve the framework conditions."
