831 more vehicles on the road in first quarter this year when compared to end of 2023

831 more vehicles were on the road in the first quarter of this year than were present in the last quarter of 2023.

This information emerged from statistics provided by the National Statistics Office.

“At the end of March 2024, the stock of licensed motor vehicles stood at 439,398. Out of this total, 74.1% were passenger cars, 14.2% were commercial and agricultural motor vehicles and 11.1% were motorcycles/E-bikes/PA-bikes, E-kick scooters, quadricycles and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). Buses and minibuses amounted to less than one per cent. During the quarter under review, the stock of licensed motor vehicles increased at a net average rate of nine motor vehicles per day.”

Newly licensed motor vehicles

Newly licensed motor vehicles put on the road during the period under review amounted to 5,637. The majority of newly licensed motor vehicles, 4,076 or 72.3% of the total, were passenger cars, followed by motorcycles/E-bikes/PA-bikes with 734 or 13%. Newly licensed ‘new’ motor vehicles amounted to 3,175 or 56.3% of the total, whereas newly licensed ‘used’ motor vehicles totalled 2,462 or 43.7%, the NSO said.

“An average of 62 motor vehicles per day were newly licensed during the quarter under review.”

Motor vehicles under restriction

During the first quarter of 2024, 8,348 motor vehicles were taken off the road due to restrictions. Out of these, 34.8 per cent were garaged, 26.3 per cent were resold, and 20.1 per cent had other restrictions. Motor vehicles that had their restriction ending during the quarter under review totalled 3,787. The majority were recorded as being resold (51.5 per cent) or garaged (47.8 per cent).

Motor energy type

As at the end of March 2024, 255,666 motor vehicles or 58.2% of the total had petrol-powered engines. Diesel-powered motor vehicles reached 156,360 or 35.6% of the total. Electric and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles accounted for 3.8% of the entire stock, with a total of 16,490 motor vehicles, the NSO said.

“When compared to the previous quarter, increases of 10.3%, 7.6% and 5.5% were registered in combined (diesel-LPG), mild hybrid (petrol-electric) and mild hybrid (diesel-electric) motor vehicles respectively.