Romania's sale of new eco cars goes up almost two thirds in first nine months (APIA)

According to the statistics, out of the total number of cars registered in the first nine months, as many as 2,274 units are hybrid vehicles, up 47.6 per cent compared with the January-September 2017 period, and 648 are purely electric and plug-in vehicles, increasing by 165.6 per cent, by comparison. 

In the same interval, the share of new ecological cars in the total sales at national level accounted for 2.6 per cent, while in the same interval of 2017 their share was of 1.9 per cent. 

In September this year, there were traded 325 electric and hybrid cars, declining by 16.9 per cent compared with the previous months, when there were recorded 291 new units sold. 

The APIA data shows that, among the best-selling 100 % electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars, the first spot was taken by Volkswagen in the January-September interval, with 182 units, followed by BMW (121 units), smart (95), Renault (61), Kia (39), Mercedes Benz (31), Porsche (30), Nissan (27), Volvo (26), Mitsubishi (18) and Audi (9). 

At the same time, most hybrid cars sold in Romania in the said interval were recorded by Toyota (2,023 units), Lexus (86), Ford (44), Kia (40), Hyundai (35), Mercedes Benz (23), Suzuki (22) and Land Rover (1). 

The APIA statistics showed that, last year, the share of electric and hybrid cars in the total sales of new units reached 2.2 per cent, with their number reaching up to 2,811 units, increasing by 136.7 per cent compared with the previous year. 

In mid-March this year, the Environment Ministry launched a new series of the "Rabla Plus" programme, dedicated to those who want to buy an ecologic car. 

The relevant ministry estimates that, in 2018, Romania 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.

AGERPRES