Record-breaking registrations of LPG, CNG cars

© ACEAAll sorts of electric and electrified vehicles enjoy the biggest sales and registrations hikes, but that's because they are the least represented category

Just like in the early months of 2017, registrations of cars fueled with other sources of energy than petrol and diesel oil were generally up in Q3 and compared to the third quarter of 2016, the numbers rose by 51,4%. Specifically, 216635 cars running on alternative fuels were registered, accounting for 6,2% of all vehicles sold in that period. Demand for LPG cars went up by 38,1%, while for natural gas the rise rate was 12,9%. Across the European Union, registrations of cars powered with LPG, natural gas and E85 (85% ethanol/15% petrol mixture) were up by 30,6% in Q3, 2017. 45044 such vehicles were registered, compared to 34497 the year before.

As far as records are concerned, the highest rises in sales of LPG, CNG and E85 vehicle sales occurred in Spain (348,7%), Finland (239,5%), Portugal (151%), Belgium (96,7%) and Slovakia (86,1%). In fact, sales rose in nearly all EU countries, with the only drops occurring in France (-6,8%) and Latvia (-23,1%). As far as sheer numbers go, Italy was the country with the most cars sold – 33940 versus 27971 in Q3 2016. The second place was taken by Poland, where 2420 LPG and CNG vehicles were sold. That's nearly a 1000 more than than the year before (1425), which means a rise by 69,8%.

In Germany 2060 cars running on gaseous fuels were sold (versus 1358 the year before or 51,7% more), in Sweden – 1456 (versus 967 in 2016, +50,6%), in Spain – 1243 (versus 277, hence the record-high hike of 348,7%). Considering the first three quarters of 2017 combined, Italy leads with the highest number of registrations of LPG/CNG/E85 cars, with 122515 units sold (versus 112062 across the same period of 2016, which means a hike of 9,3%). In Germany the hike was 12,5% (5246 versus 4662 units), in Poland as much as 63,8% (7500 versus 4580 cars). In the entire EU, average hike in LPG/CNG/E85 car registrations over the first three quarters of 2017 was 13%, with 151856 units, as opposed to 134422 the year before. Let's hope the tendency will prove a long-term one.