New car sales in Switzerland experienced a notable 5% drop in 2024 compared to the previous year, driven by reduced demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids.
According to a report by the Swiss Automobile Importers Association released on Friday, around 239,500 new cars were registered in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein in 2024. This figure represents a significant decline from the pre-pandemic annual registrations of approximately 300,000 vehicles.
No Signs of Post-Pandemic Recovery
Auto Schweiz, the national automobile importers group, expressed concern over the lack of a post-pandemic rebound in car procurement. The association warned that the growing average age of the Swiss vehicle fleet poses risks to both environmental sustainability and road safety.
Record Market Share for Alternative Drive Systems
Despite the overall slump, vehicles with alternative drive systems reached a record-high market share of nearly 62% of new registrations. Full and mild hybrids saw a substantial increase of 17%, now making up 33.6% of all newly registered cars—a 6.3% rise from the previous year.
However, this success was overshadowed by a steep decline in registrations of fully electric vehicles (-12.5%) and plug-in hybrids (-10.4%). As a result, the combined market share of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles plateaued at 28%, showing no growth from 2023 levels.
Auto Schweiz Urges Political Action
In response to these trends, Auto Schweiz is calling for greater government support to promote electric vehicle adoption. The association recommends implementing measures such as more affordable public charging rates, improved access to charging infrastructure, and the elimination of automobile import taxes on electric vehicles to reduce costs for consumers.
With these steps, Auto Schweiz hopes to drive further growth in the electric vehicle market and support Switzerland’s transition to sustainable transportation. Photo by Amada44, Wikimedia commons.