Over 2,630 eco cars sold in Romania in first eight months of 2018 (APIA)

Romania's sales of eco-friendly cars reached 2.6% in the first eight months of the year, increasing significantly over the same period of 2017, with the total number of units sold 2,635, by 73.3% more than in the reference period, informs the Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA), interrogated by AGERPRES.

According to statistics, out of the total number of units sold between January and August, 2,048 units were plug-in hybrid cars (a 53.6 percent jump over the first eight months of the previous year), and 587 were electric cars, up 213.9 %.

In the analysed period, the share of new eco-friendly cars in total sales at national level was 2.6%, while in the same period of 2017 the share was 1.9%.

In August of 2018, 396 electric and hybrid cars were sold, up 2.32%, compared to the previous month, when 387 new units were sold.

According to the APIA, Volkswagen ranked first among the most sold 100% electric cars between January and August, with 179 units, followed by BMW (103), smart (93), Renault (52) Mercedes Benz (31), Kia (30), Porsche (27), Volvo (22), Nissan (19), Mitsubishi (13) and Audi (9).

At the same time, most of the hybrid cars sold in Romania during the reference period were recorded by Volkswagen (1,793 units), BMW (75), Smart (38), Renault and Mercedes Benz (37 each), Porsche (21 ), Volvo (19) and Nissan (1).

The APIA statistics show that in 2017, the electric and hybrid cars reached 2.2 per cent of the total new car sales in Romania, with 2,811 units sold, up 136.7% over the previous year.

In mid-March this year, the Environment Ministry launched a new session of the "Rabla Plus" programme, aimed at those who want to buy an eco-friendly car.

The relevant ministry estimates that in 2018, Romanians will buy 2,000 electric cars through the "Rabla Plus" programme.

Access to this programme is not conditioned on the radiation of the used car, with the possibility existing of cumulating the premium available under the "Rabla Clasic" programme (of 6,500 lei) with the eco-labels of the "Rabla Plus" programme, provided that the applicant buys either a new electric car or a plug-in hybrid car.