Market: All-wheel drive share at record level
STABLE SALES Despite fewer working days, the market in May almost reached the level of the same month last year. In Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, 27,826 new passenger cars were registered. From January to May, 126,434 new cars hit the roads. At the same time last year, the figure was just 561 or 0.4 percent higher. [...]
From January to May, 126,434 new cars hit the roads. At the same time last year, this figure was just 561 or 0.4 percent higher. In May alone, an average of 1325 cars were registered per working day, which illustrates the insignificance of the interim decline after five months. Of these, 61,465 passenger cars had all-wheel drive, representing a 4×4 ratio of 48.6 percent. This is another 2.1 percentage points above the previous year's figure and thus at a record level. The 50 percent mark still seems within reach for the year as a whole.
Positive attitude toward alternative drives grows
The share of alternative drive systems also continues to grow. In May, 11.1 percent more vehicles with electric, hybrid, gas and hydrogen drives were registered than a year ago, and the market share is 5.4 percent. Cumulatively after five months, this even amounts to 6.2 percent after 4.8 percent at the end of May 2017. Christoph Wolnikof auto-schweiz: "The attitude towards alternative drives has never been as positive as it is now. At 72 percent, almost three out of four of those surveyed can imagine buying a car with an alternative drive system. This shows that Swiss drivers are increasingly concerned with this topic."
