Last year they fell 5.4% to 813,000 sales, weighed down by lack of supply and rising fuel prices
The year 2022 has closed in terms of vehicle registrations as it did in one of the worst moments of the previous great recession, in mid-2013. The data shows that 813,654 passenger cars were registered last year, representing a 5.4% decline in compared to the same period in 2021 and 30% less compared to 2019, before the corona crisis.
In sales channels, sales only increased in those of companies, up 3.8% in the year and 343,200 passenger cars; while that of private individuals fell by 1.5% after registering 371,596 passenger cars. Car sales for rental properties suffered the most in 2022, mainly due to the lack of stock due to the microchip crisis, with a 35% drop over 2021 and 58% compared to purchases made by rental companies in 2019.
The evolution of new car sales in 2022 passed its worst point between spring and summer, when the year-over-year decline in registrations was more than 11%. Already in the third quarter, and especially in the last part of the year, the declines are moderate towards the environment of between 4% and 5%.
The Spanish car market is a long way from the more than 1.3 million vehicles registered in 2018, the year with the best records. Since then, more than half a million car sales have fallen by the wayside, in a country where the average lifespan of cars is clearly more than 10 years, making the Spanish fleet one of the oldest and therefore polluting fleets in all of Europe.
“The year ended with just over 800,000 passenger cars, which is without a doubt a very negative year. There is a structural problem that goes beyond this year’s economic difficulties, with high fuel prices, a shortage of supplies and the rise in car prices. That is why Ancove is asking for a plan to restore a sector of decisive weight in the Spanish economy,” said Eric Iglesias, chairman of Ancove.
In the month of December, passenger car registrations fell by 14.2% from the same month in 2021 with 73,886 passenger cars sold, breaking a trend of four consecutive months of increases. But the improvement in the market since August, also thanks to the recovery in rental sales, has not been enough to salvage a year that registers a 5.4% decline from 2021.
With the exception of the rental channel, where registrations rose by 54% in December (6,275 cars), both private and business customers are experiencing sharp declines. First recorded sales of 35,958 passenger cars, down 15.1%, and businesses down 202.2% with 31,653 registrations.
More than 100,000 new electric cars
The 2022 data also reflects the “excellent outlook for electric mobility,” as confirmed by the Business Association for the Development and Promotion of Electric Mobility (AEDIVE) and the National Association of Vehicle Sellers (GANVAM). Registrations of electrified vehicles (100% electric, as well as plug-in hybrids) increased by 20.9% in 2022 to 100,425 units, crossing the 100,000 mark for the first time.
However, both organizations estimate that the number of electrified vehicle registrations is not growing enough to meet the low-carbon path, bearing in mind that the targets of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan set a total of five million vehicles for the 2030 horizon. this type in circulation compared to the current nearly 325,000. Therefore, AEDIVE and GANVAM warn of the need for the Tax Authorities to take accelerating measures to ensure this transition, such as the introduction of tax incentives for purchases or more effective incentive plans to stimulate demand and convert efficient mobility into a more affordable and accessible mobility. option for all citizens.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
