Sales figures are actually falling: the exhaust gas rules out the brakes on the car market

The demand for passenger Cars in Germany due to the massive problems of some manufacturers in the transition to the more stringent exhaust emission measurement rules. However, the decline in enrollments was not as high as feared: The sales fell only by 0.2 per cent to 3.44 million vehicles, from the on Friday by the Flensburger force travel Federal office published registration statistics. The end of the year, sales fell by 6.7 percent to around we’re 237,000 vehicles; thus, the Minus was not as large as in November (minus ten percent). In September, the month of the introduction of the new emission test cycle WLTP, the collapse of the approvals is still almost a third.

As the reason for the December doldrums, industry representatives, especially that the month had two working days less than in the previous year. However, the problems have subsided with the introduction of the new emission test cycle. Meanwhile, more vehicles available, which are certified according to the new rules. In front of the WLTP-introduction of several manufacturers of new cars were sold with high discounts, and so for a strong authorization plus. This contributed to the decline to the end of the year was moderate.

There were, however, still not all of the models with a new seal of approval available, said Peter foot of the consulting firm EY. Therefore, many customers have postponed the purchase of a new car. The car expert, estimates that the Car market will continue to gain momentum, if in the spring all the manufacturers have the WLTP-certification completed. “We expect to see a relatively good first quarter.” It could, however, practice the demand during a downturn of a rapid re-entry. “The bottom line is that new car sales would be on the level of the previous year a great success.”

Alternative powertrains play a supporting role

High sales declines in December, the two French manufacturers Peugeot (minus 43 percent) and Renault (minus 21 percent) and the Japanese car maker Nissan (minus 40 percent, respectively). The Volkswagen brands belonging to the lost: Seat minus 15 per cent, Skoda minus twelve percent, and the main VW brand minus eleven percent. Audi contracted by 5.7 percent. The BMW came to a slight admission increase of 0.2 percent. Mercedes-Benz increased its sales by almost 22 percent.

The Diesel share dropped in the past year, to 32.3 (year-on-year to 38.8 percent). Three years ago, every second new car was almost a self-detonator. EY-expert foot expects the diesel share will continue to decline, should impose additional cities driving bans. Almost two-thirds of newly registered cars had a gasoline engine under the hood.

Despite the debate about climate protection and air pollution in cities, alternative drives, deadlines in this country only a niche market –their share is rising, however. Almost four percent of the new cars had a Hybrid drive of a combustion engine and an electric motor (plus 53.8 percent). Of a share of 0.9%, the Plug was-in Hybrid, whose battery can be recharged on the outlet. Only one percent of the new registrations were pure electric cars; with plus 44 percent of the increase, however, was also high.