Sales of passenger cars and SUVs registered 94,840 units, 4.7% less than in the same month of 2023, registering the first decrease since December 2022
Registrations of light commercial vehicles grew by 3.3% in March, with 13,876 sales
Sales of commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and minibuses increase by 0.3% in the third month with 3,034 units
Madrid, April 1, 2024. The market for passenger cars and SUVs reaches 94,840 units with a decrease of 4.7% compared to the same month last year, although we must take into account the seasonal effect of Easter, given which in 2023 fell in April. However, the fall of the hammer represents the first decline since December 2022, after 14 consecutive months of growth. Despite this drop, until March registrations grew by 3.1% compared to last year, with 244,879 units. In any case, they are still 22.7% lower before the pandemic in 2019. We will have to wait until April to see if we continue on the upward path.
The average CO2 emissions of passenger cars sold in March remain at 117.7 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled, 1.7% lower than the average emissions of new passenger cars sold in the same month of 2023. In total of the year, an average of 116.9 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled is recorded, 1.87% lower.
The drop in the month has been notably reflected in both the individual and business channels with -3.9% and -27.3%, respectively. The supply of vehicles to face the Easter holiday period has allowed rent-a-car sales to achieve a strong increase of 29.7%, with 31,900 units.
LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Registrations of light commercial vehicles achieved an increase of 3.3%, with 13,876 units in March. In the first quarter, a total of 37,866 new registrations were added, which is 10.9% more than the same period of the previous year. By channel, only sales aimed at self-employed workers registered a slight decrease of 0.8% and 2,094 units. For their part, both registrations for companies, with 9,530 sales, and rentals, with 2,252, increased in March by 0.4% and 23.3%, respectively.
INDUSTRIAL AND BUSES
In March, registrations of commercial vehicles, buses, coaches and minibuses maintain their positive trend and achieve an increase of 0.3% in the month, with 3,034 units. In the accumulated of the year, there are 7,949 units, with a growth of 15%. By type of vehicle, industrial registrations totaled 2,645 sales, increasing 2.9%. As for buses, coaches and minibuses, their sales have been reduced by 14.1%, to 389 units.
Félix García, director of communication and marketing at ANFAC, explained that “this month of March registers the first negative market since December 2022. While it is true that Easter this year falls in March, unlike last year, which It was in April, and we have two less business days. We will have to wait until April to see if we continue on the upward path or not. We are concerned about the drop of more than 27% in company purchases, given that these are an indicator of how the economy is doing. But we are more concerned about sales of electrified vehicles. Adding electric and plug-in hybrids in March the share was 10.3%. “We are still very far from achieving the decarbonization objectives both in sales of this type of vehicles and in charging facilities.”
Raúl Morales, communication director of FACONAUTO, indicated that “the vehicle registration data for the first quarter confirm our forecasts. We are in a practically stagnant market, which has grown less than 5% so far this year, which is also worrying because we are comparing it with the first three months of last year when the market itself already behaved very lazy This start of the year also confirms our forecasts regarding the registration of electrified vehicles, which, far from advancing, is going backwards. So far this year, their contribution to the market does not reach 11% of total registrations compared to the 12% they finished with last year. With this situation, with a practically stagnant market and with a slowdown in the sale of electrified vehicles, a reaction is necessary in the form of significant measures that the sector has been demanding from the Government so that our country does not fall further behind in the electrification of the park and so that we can aspire to meet the decarbonization objectives that come to us from the European Union.
Ganvam’s communications director, Tania Puche, highlighted that “registrations fell in March, breaking a 14-month upward streak, largely due to the calendar effect since Easter, which involves three fewer working days, fell this year. in March when last year it was held in April. In fact, the purchases of rent a cars – which have been provided with a fleet to respond to this tourist campaign – are what have cushioned the fall of the market, preventing a greater decline, in a context marked by the sluggishness of individuals and companies. . Without a doubt, it is necessary to recover sales volumes, which are still around 20% below pre-pandemic levels, to stop the aging of the fleet in its tracks and accelerate decarbonization; “Objectives that involve the development of effective policies that turn zero and low-emission mobility into a truly affordable and accessible option for all citizens.”