Vienna . New car registrations fell by a quarter in 2020, which was the worst year for the industry in 33 years. A total of 248,740 cars (minus 24.5 percent) were newly registered last year. 50,060 vehicles with alternative drives were sold, 15,972 of which were exclusively electric cars. With 40,042 new truck registrations, a decrease of 16.7 percent was recorded. In the case of single-track vehicles, there were 46,099 units, an increase of 13.4 percent.
According to the figures published by Statistics Austria on Monday, a total of 353,179 new motor vehicles were registered in 2020, 19 percent less than in 2019. New registrations of gasoline-powered cars (share: 43.3 percent) increased by 39 percent, those of diesel cars ( Share: 36.5 percent) by 28 percent. Company cars accounted for 81 percent of purely electric cars. Most of the electric vehicles were registered in Vienna and Lower Austria.
The most popular car segment in 2020 was once again the SUV with a share of 31.5 percent and 78,403 vehicles, followed by the compact class with 25.5 percent (63,333 vehicles) and the small car with 19.5 percent (48,480 vehicles). Increases compared to 2019 were only observed for sports cars (plus 57.3 percent, 3,345 vehicles).
Still high CO2 emissions
The CO2 emissions of all newly registered cars averaged 136 g / km according to the WLTP test procedure. In the proportionately most important CO2 class 131-140 g / km (share: 20 percent), 49,872 new cars were registered, followed by the CO2 classes 121-130 g / km (44,196 cars; share: 17.8 percent).
Among the ten most important brands in 2020, which together accounted for 67.5 percent of all new car registrations, VW remained the market leader with a share of 15.4 percent, followed by the sister brand Skoda as well as Seat and BMW. Compared to the previous year, all top 10 brands recorded double-digit declines, with Opel hit the hardest with minus 43.7 percent. Daily registrations of cars fell by 33.4 percent in 2020.
Of all vehicle types, mobile homes had the highest growth in 2020. Although starting from a small proportion (0.8 percent of all new vehicle registrations), new registrations rose by 74.2 percent to 2,969. The new registrations of trailers rose by 1.8 percent to 998.
Plus 13 percent for two-wheelers
For light trucks (up to 3.5 t), the most important type of truck with a share of 91.3 percent, new registrations fell by 15.8 percent; New registrations of trucks over 3.5 to 12 tons fell by 31.3 percent and those of heavy trucks by 23.3 percent. The number of new registrations of articulated vehicles fell by 37.1 percent to 2,179. Agricultural and forestry tractors grew by 6.9 percent to 6,446 vehicles.
As in 2019, the number of new registrations of two-wheelers increased in 2020, by 13.4 percent to 46,099. In terms of all new vehicle registrations – as last year in 2016 – two-wheelers are again in second place behind new car registrations. New registrations of two-wheelers reached the previous high in 2008 with 53,255 vehicles. Of the total number of new motorcycle registrations, 769 motorcycles had an electric drive.
The used vehicle market also declined, but commercial vehicles and two-wheelers were up. In 2020, 1,049,345 used vehicles were registered, 1.7 percent less than in 2019. At 841,196, registrations of used cars were 3.5 percent below the previous year's figure. On the commercial vehicle market, increases were observed in the number of used trucks (plus 5.4 percent) and agricultural and forestry tractors (7.3 percent). In contrast, used articulated vehicles recorded a decline of 5.5 percent.
Seven million vehicles on the streets
At the end of 2020, the provisional vehicle stock in Austria exceeded the seven million mark for the first time. That is 1.5 percent more vehicles than in the previous year. The proportionately most important vehicle type, passenger cars, accounted for around 5.1 million vehicles, according to Peter Laimer, motor vehicle expert at Statistics Austria, today.
Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) emphasized the plus in electric vehicles. She spoke of a record year 2020. “The around 16,000 registered e-cars are a clear sign that we are on the right and, above all, climate-friendly route in traffic,” she said.
Günther Kerle, spokesman for the Austrian automobile importers, spoke today of a “dramatic development” and had no good news for 2021 either that stimulate the market, “he told journalists today.
According to Klaus Edelsbrunner, Chairman of the Federal Vehicle Trade Committee, the start of the new year has been rather stuttering so far: “The lockdown in January, which is usually with a high number of registrations, hits our industry in full. The running costs for the used car warehouse are a burden, and the risk of insolvency is generally increasing, because the deferred taxes also have to be paid, “said Edelsbrunner.
