New car registrations increased in Romania in the first quarter of 2023 (Q1) by 27.7% compared to the same period of the previous year, while “green” cars jumped 34.8% and reached a market share of 20.2%, emerges from the data published by the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Importers (APIA).
The car segment represents approximately 85% of the total market and recorded, in March 2023, a volume of 12,120 units, 11.2% more than in the similar month of 2022, according to Agerpres.
Depending on the type of fuel of the registered cars, in the reference interval, gasoline engines registered an increase of 1.6% compared to the similar period of the previous year, thus reaching a ratio of 67.1%. As for cars equipped with diesel engines, they registered a decrease of 2.6%, year on year, and have a share of 12.8% of the total.
On the other hand, “electrified” cars, namely electric ones (100% and plug-in hybrids), as well as full hybrid ones (which also have electric propulsion without charging from an external source), have reached a market share of 20.2%, at the end of March this year, a share that exceeds by 7.4% the share held by diesel engines. In this regard, 100% electric cars have an 8.6% share of the market in the first three months of 2023, compared to 7.3% a year ago.
Purchases in the category of ecological cars increased by 34.8%, in Q1 of this year, compared to the similar period in 2022, with a significant increase of 100% electric cars (+48.8%) and of plug-in hybrids (+32%).
While, in March 2023, pure electric cars report a decrease of 2.4% compared to the same month last year, in the first three months of the current year there was a 48.8% increase compared to the previous year.
Also, plug-in cars accumulated significant volumes, increasing by 26.6%, in March 2023 vs. March 2022, respectively by 32%, Q/Q.
At the same time, sales of full hybrid cars decreased by 10.8% compared to March 2022, but increased by 23.6% compared to the first three months of last year.
The ranking of the first five best-selling 100% electric cars is led by Dacia Spring (1,559 units, +63.8% compared to the same period of the previous year). Renault Megane ranks next (217 units, without registrations in the similar period from 2022), Volkswagen e-UP! (184 units, +132.9%), Tesla Model Y (142 units, +688.9%) and Tesla Model 3 (108 units, -29.9%).
According to the cited source, in the first three months of this year, in the Plug-in car segment, the top 5 models are led by the Ford Kuga – with 199 units and an increase of 99% compared to the same period of the previous year, followed by the Mazda CX 60 (91 units, no registrations in the similar period from 2022), Mercedes-Benz GLE (83 units, +6.4%), Renault Captur (67 units, +28.8%) and Volkswagen Tiguan (67 units, +86.1%).