Romania has recorded the largest decline in full-electric car sales in the European Union from January to September. Sales plummeted in September.
Hybrid car sales reached 32.8% of the market in September in Europe, surpassing petrol cars for the first time (29.8% of the market), according to data published on Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
Sales of these models (up by 12.5%) have exploded, especially in France and Spain.
Toyota, a pioneer in hybrid technology, has been the main beneficiary of this growth.
Diesel car sales continued to plummet (-23.5%), with the former fuel king now representing only 10.4% of the market.
Electric car sales also increased in September in Europe after months of decline. They accounted for 17.3% of new car sales on the continent (+9.8% compared to the previous year), compared to 14.8% in September 2023, but are still far from expected levels. Sales increased especially in Germany, but also in Belgium, Italy, and Spain.
However, electric car sales since the beginning of the year are 5.8% lower than in the first nine months of 2023.
On the other hand, in Romania, sales of new full-electric cars have plummeted.
Our country ranks 14th in the EU in new car registrations. From January to September 2024, 115,509 new cars were registered, an increase of 4.3% compared to the same period in 2023.
Of these, 7,378 newly registered cars have full-electric propulsion (-37.3%, the largest decrease in this segment in the EU), and 43,237 have hybrid propulsion (+32.6%).
In September, electric car sales plummeted by 56%.
A contributing factor to this decline was the authorities’ decision to halve the value of the voucher for the Rabla Plus program, with the state offering only 5,000 euros, compared to 10,000 in 2023.
In February, Environment Minister Mircea Fechet took responsibility for the reduction in February and expressed confidence that a 5,000 euro eco-voucher is sufficient.
„I am very optimistic. I believe that 5,000 euros are not a small amount of money. For an electric car, which costs around 25,000 euros today, and even lower, can be purchased at this price, I believe that the 5,000 euros provided by the Romanian state are welcome,” he said.
The negative trend in the market prompted Fechet to reconsider his position. Asked in September if he was considering returning to last year’s subsidy, given the decline in electric car sales, the minister passed the decision to the Ministry of Finance.
„The decision to reduce the amount of the Rabla Plus voucher belongs to the Ministry of Public Finance.
We proposed a higher value than the current threshold of 5,000 euros back then, and I am convinced that, after we evaluate at the end of the year to what extent the reduction of this voucher has affected the sale of electric cars in Romania, I am confident that for 2025, this threshold will be adjusted accordingly,” explained Mircea Fechet.