Slovenia sees jump in car sales as EV demand soars

Slovenia's automotive landscape is shifting rapidly with new data released by the Chamber of Commerce showing that car sales jumped by nearly a quarter in March, driven by a newfound appetite for electric vehicles (EVs).

While the overall market growth is healthy, sales of battery-powered cars skyrocketed by 142% compared to last year, accounting for nearly 18% of all new cars hitting Slovenian roads this month.

This comes after EV sales broke the 10% mark for the first time last year, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The most surprising headline from the March data is the sudden resurgence of Tesla. After a poor start to the year where the brand barely registered a 1% market share in January and February, the American car maker came back to dominate the charts.

The Tesla Model 3 was not just the most popular electric car, it was the best-selling vehicle overall. By delivering 352 units, it outsold long-time local favourites like the Nissan Qashqai and the Škoda Octavia.

This surge propelled Tesla to the fourth spot for overall brand popularity in Slovenia, snapping at the heels of traditional giants like Volkswagen, Škoda, and Renault.

After making a splash last year, Chinese brands continue to chip away at European majors too, though their market shares remain modest.

The move toward electrification is not limited to pure EVs. The data shows a broad "greening" of the Slovenian fleet, with plug-in hybrids up nearly 82% and standard hybrids up 26%.

The changing habits might be a response to the surge in petrol prices due to wars in the Middle East. Whether this will be a more lasting trend will be evident in the coming months.

Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA