Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Record number of new e-cars on Swiss roads

outline of e-car on a parking spa
© Keystone / Gaetan Bally

With 10,329 registrations so far this year, Switzerland and Liechtenstein have more new electric passenger cars than ever before.

This is the first time the total hit the five-figure mark. The numbers reflect a 136.6% increase over last year’s fleet of new, completely electric passenger cars. What’s more, now e-cars represent 3.7% of all new cars in Switzerland and the principality next door, reported importer association Auto-Schweiz on Tuesday. “It’s one of the highest percentages worldwide,” said spokesman Christoph Wolnik.

The demand for hybrid vehicles is also on the rise, with growth of 75.4%. Over one in ten new cars in the two nations is either a hybrid or fully electric. Still, more than half of newly registered cars are 4x4s. The total number of new passenger cars registered this year was 276,641 as of the end of November. Switzerland has more than six million motor vehicles in total. 

This past summer, car importers had to pay CHF30 million ($30.4 million) in fines into a national road fund after failing to meet vehicle CO2 emission objectives in 2018.

“The increase in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions is due in particular to the growing share of 4×4 vehicles (2018: 48.9% of total) and the decline in diesel vehicles,” the Federal Office of Energy said.

More


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

More heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

More

Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

This content was published on Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).

Read more: Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
The Federal Administrative Court in St Gallen, Switzerland.

More

Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland

This content was published on A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.

Read more: Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
Dieselgate scandal: In 2015 it emerged that millions of VW diesel-powered vehicles had been manipulated to pass environmental standards.

More

Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case

This content was published on The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.

Read more: Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case
Employment prospects remain stable in the fourth quarter

More

Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable

This content was published on The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.

Read more: Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida.

More

Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

This content was published on A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.

Read more: Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR