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Skoda, with 312 units (+33%). Nissan rounds out the top five in January with 188 cars, 360% more than last year. Also included in the month’s top 10 were Hyundai 177 units (+11%); Suzuki 160 (-13%); Peugeot 159 (+657%); Lexus 151 (+66%) and Mazda 149 units (+54%). The Renault Duster crossover became a bestseller in January (479 cars).
Ukrainians have been switching to electric vehicles (EVs) during the nearly two years the war with Russia has been raging, Ubn reported on January 25.
The demand for electric cars increased by almost 200% over the last year. In 2023, Ukrainians purchased 37,600 zero-emission vehicles, which is 180% more than in 2022, reports Ukravtoprom.
In 2023, more than 17,200 hybrid passenger cars were added to the Ukrainian fleet, 55% more than a year earlier and only 8% less compared to the pre-war year of 2021. The share of new cars was 63% and hybrids accounted for almost 18% of new passenger car sales.
Almost all the cars are imports, which soared by 300% compared to 2021 and surpassed the number of imports in 2021 threefold. EVs now constitute a substantial 10% of all car imports into Ukraine, up from the mere 1.2% share they held in 2021.
Geographically, the Lviv region leads in the number of imported electric cars, registering a total of 5,133 units. Following closely are the Kyiv and Odesa regions, with imports amounting to 4,913 and 3,412 electric cars, respectively.
In terms of brand popularity, Volkswagen, Tesla, Nissan, Renault, and Honda emerge as the top choices among Ukrainian consumers. The Nissan Leaf leads the pack as the most popular electric car model in 2023, capturing 13.8% of the market.
Other favoured models include the Volkswagen ID.4 (9.9%), Tesla Model 3 (8.7%), Volkswagen e-Golf (7.8%), and Tesla Model Y (5.8%).
A Ukrainian enterprise will participate in a project to produce hydrogen-powered cars in the EU. Centravis and French company Duncha France will participate in a project to produce vehicles with hydrogen engines in the EU. This is the first vehicular hydrogen project in Centravis’ history. The company has developed the H2FIT line of high-precision, seamless, stainless-steel pipes for its implementation. They will be installed in light trucks and will help them meet the EU's zero-carbon initiative. These pipes will be used to develop four small trucks based on fuel cell technology. "There are discussions about the future of cars with an internal combustion engine. It is still too early to talk about their passing into history, but the world is ready for changes, and our company can offer technologies and solutions for new types of cars", emphasized Centravis. The company is a world leader in producing car instrument pipes, and it cooperates with BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, etc.
9.1.3 Transport sector news
The EU will spend €10B on a transport corridor from China to Europe
84 UKRAINE Country Report February 2024 www.intellinews.com