Nearly 700 electric and hybrid cars were sold in Romania in the first nine months of 2016, reflecting an increase by 108.1% over the same period of the previous year, when there were sold just 333 units, data by Manufacturers and Importers Association Car (APIA) reveals, quoted by Agerpres.

According to statistics, from January to September 2016, as compared with the same period of the previous year, in the hybrid car segment, sales increased by 88.7% to 78 units, while in the case of electric cars, increase is of 129 units, by just 4% to a mere 615 units.

In the period of January to September 2016, the sales of green cars were the equivalent of 0.8% of all new cars sold nationally.

However, in September this year, 123 green cars were sold, down 26.78% from the previous month, when there were 168 units sold.

Also in the first nine months of this year, statistics show that 693 hybrid and electric cars were purchased, reflecting an increase by 108.1% compared with the same period in 2015 when there were 333 units.

Among the most sold brand electric car 100% from January to September, the first place is occupied by BMW, with 35 units, followed by Volkswagen (10 units), Mercedes-Benz and Volvo (by 9), Mitsubishi (6 ), Renault (3) and Porsche (2).

At the same time, most hybrid cars sold in Romania in the first nine months, are branded by Toyota (483 units), followed by Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus (116) and Land Rover (4).

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