Sales: Switzerland goes for electric vehicles
ELECTRIC TREND A first in the market for new passenger cars in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein: for the first time, models that can be charged from the electricity grid have achieved a cumulative market share of more than ten percent. Since the beginning of the current year, exactly 8,300 all-electric cars and 6,567 plug-in hybrids have hit the roads. Fully in line with the "10/20" target of auto-schweiz [...]
Since the beginning of the current year, exactly 8,300 all-electric cars and 6,567 plug-in hybrids have hit the roads. In line with the "10/20" target set by auto-schweiz, these plug-in vehicles now account for 10.5 percent of the total market of 142,102 new passenger cars.
59,989 new wagons missing for 2019
Due to the coronavirus crisis, however, this figure is 29.7 percent lower than the previous year, with a total of 59,989 new enrolments for 2019. August was also unable to reverse the trend and was the eighth consecutive month of decline.
Trend towards all-electric vehicles
Despite or perhaps because of the overall situation, alternative drive systems are going from strength to strength. With a market share of 29 percent, more than one in four new cars in August had a hybrid, electric, gas or fuel cell engine.
At 15.7 percent, models that can be charged from the mains account for more than half of these, the highest monthly market share of plug-in vehicles to date.
Since the beginning of the year, all-electric vehicles have increased by 13.7 percent in absolute terms compared to the previous year, while new plug-in hybrids have more than tripled with an increase of 221.3 percent.
The curse and blessing of electromobility
Auto Schweiz media spokesperson Christoph Wolnik: "The coronavirus crisis is both a blessing and a curse for electromobility. Compared to the market as a whole, e-cars are doing very well thanks to the many new models. But without the lockdown and the closure of countless production plants, even more would be possible in terms of unit numbers. We have repeatedly pointed out the negative effects in terms of the CO2 average."
E-vehicles is nevertheless a milestone and shows that the "10/20" target of auto-schweiz is within reach.
Predefined goal is within reach
Breaking the ten percent sound barrier for e-vehicles is nevertheless a milestone and shows that the "10/20" target of auto-schweiz is within reach.
In February 2018, the Association of Swiss Automobile Importers set the target of achieving a ten percent market share of plug-in vehicles by 2020.
Christian Wolnik: "At that time, the figure was still 2.7%. We are now optimistic that we will be able to maintain the double-digit result until the end of the year."
