In the first four months of 2016, sales of hybrid and pure electric vehicles have increased by 112% in Romania over the same period last year, with 195 units sold, show the figures regarding the auto market conducted by the Association of Producers and Importers of Automobiles (APIA).

Although the percentage increase in marketed green cars sold exceeds that of the general auto market (14.4%), volumes are still very low, representing only 0.7% of all new cars sold nationally. Last year, between January and April were sold only 92 units.

The increase of April 2016 compared to March 2016 was 32.4% for ecological vehicles; overall, April is the first month this year in which there were fewer transactions than a month ago. In April, there were sold 69 hybrid vehicles and 100% electric one, while in March were also traded 52 cars.

The first place among the most environmentally friendly car brands sold within four months analyzed is occupied by Toyota with 116 units (+153.2% over the first four months of 2015), followed by Lexus with 48 units (+200 %) BMW- 8 units (compared to no cars sold in January – April 2015) and Land Rover – 7 units (-22.2%).

APIA data show that throughout 2015, the number of electric and hybrid cars sold in Romania was 495 units, more than double (110%) compared to 2014, when 236 units were sold.