Electric cars reach 36% of new Swiss registrations

Electric cars accounted for 36% of new vehicle registrations in September, a first for Switzerland, SRF reported, citing the industry association Auto-Schweiz. Demand for electric cars is also continuing to rise in Liechtenstein, the association said.

Plug-in hybrids, which combine a combustion engine with a battery that can be charged from the mains, made up 10% of September registrations. Auto-Schweiz director Thomas Rücker said the growth in electric mobility was welcome but remained a quarter behind the projections in the association’s Roadmap 2025.

The industry had set a target of reaching a 50% market share for plug-in vehicles, including electric cars and plug-in hybrids, by 2025. Rücker called for conditions for electric mobility to be improved quickly.

Switzerland recorded 21,948 new car registrations in September. Petrol and diesel cars together accounted for about one-fifth, as demand for both types continued to decline. Across the year so far, electric cars have a 26% share of registrations, while plug-in hybrids account for 12%.