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Cars: Automobile market in Romania grew by 18% in 2016; dropping prospects in 2017
New car sales recorded a 17.8% increase in 2016, compared to the previous year, but 2017 provisions show a market drop, because of the elimination of the environment tax and its replacement by an equivalent measure, according to data presented by representatives of the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Importers (APIA) at a press conference.
Statistics show at the same time that 2016 ended with a sales volume of over 142,000 units, a figure close to the one registered in the first year of crisis in the automobile market (2009) with sales of 148,000 units.
The national car manufacture recorded last year sales of 359,306 units, the equivalent of a 7.2% drop compared to 2015. Dacia produced 320,457 units and Ford 38,849 units. 190,825 Dacia Duster cars were manufactured and recorded the highest sales volume (+11.9% against 2015), followed by Dacia Sandero (51,778 units -10.8%), Dacia Logan MCV (40,480 units, +0.6%), Ford BMax (38,849 -19%) and Dacia Logan (37,014 units-47.2%).
326,089 units were exported in 2016, dropping by 8.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. 183,860 Dacia Duster units (+13%) were exported, followed by Dacia Sandero (44,317 -15.1%) and Ford BMax (38,857 units- 19%). 90.7% of the 2016 national production was exported, compared to 91.7% in 2015.
With an overall volume of 142,000 new units sold in 2016, the national automobile market records an increase of 17.8% against the previous year. Of them 115,004 units were cars, on the rise by 17% compared to 2015.
The top of new car sales is lead by Dacia with 35,448 units (30.8% market share), followed by Volkswagen (11,983 units, 10.4% market share), Skoda (10,268 units, 8.9% share), Renault (8,351 units, 7.3% share) and Ford (6,957 units, 6% share).
APIA data show that in 2016, diesel cars dropped to 49.3% of total market, compared to 2015 when they represented 53.5%.
Green cars (electric and hybrid) doubled their volume in 2016 to 1,183 units against 496 units in 2015. There were sales of 237% for electric cars to 167 units from 46 units, compared to the previous year.
APIA representatives estimate a drop of new car sales volume in 2017, because of the absence of the environment tax.
In early January, Daniel Constantin, deputy premier and environment minister says there will be compensations for the automobile industry after the elimination of the environment tax, the main problem of the sector being spending and not collecting funds and developing programs.
“We will discuss the matter when the state budget is elaborated. The environment tax has been attacked in court and the state must pay a lot of money for those who paid the tax. The question is not how to supply the the Environment Fund Administration, because 70% of funds have not been spent. Therefore it is not a matter of collecting funds but of spending them and developing programs in this area to have a friendlier environment,” Constantin explained for Digi 24.
The environment tax for cars was included in the 104 non fiscal taxes eliminated by law.