Misguided CO2 Regulation: Swiss Car Market at a Historic Low

With 233,737 new registrations, the Swiss automobile market recorded an extremely challenging year in 2025. Compared to the previous year, nearly 6,000 fewer vehicles were registered, marking a decline of 2.4 percent. This brings the market, excluding the Covid-19 pandemic, to its lowest level in over 25 years. Unlike the rest of Europe, the Swiss total market remains significantly below the pre- crisis level of around 300,000 new registrations per year. The volume loss in the Swiss automobile industry results from non-market compliant CO2 regulations, disproportionately high energy prices, and economic uncertainties, affecting both consumers and businesses. This delays the renewal of the vehicle fleet further. The latest survey by the Federal Statistical Office shows an average age of 10.5 years, whereas 25 years ago (2000) it was 7.4 years.

Peter Grünenfelder, president of auto- schweiz, states: 'The Swiss car market is shrinking to a historic low. This development is the result of misguided climate policy with a CO2 over-regulation unique in Europe, which has serious consequences for importers, dealers, and the Swiss automobile industry as a whole. Federal policy must finally align with market realities. CO2-free mobility cannot be achieved with excessive fines and planned economy, but only with openness to technology, a functioning ecosystem, and financial incentives. Alongside the removal of sanctions, there must be no new taxes on electric vehicles and the abolition of the four percent import duty.'

Strong December confirms seasonal pattern

In December 2025, 26,744 cars were newly registered. This is 5.5 percent more than the previous year (-0.4 percent). Once again, December has proven to be the strongest month of the year. This growth repeats a seasonal pattern and should not be misunderstood as a trend reversal.

Plug-in vehicles account for about one-third of new registrations for the entire year

Taken together, plug-in vehicles achieve a market share of just over one-third (34 percent) of all new registrations in Switzerland for the entire year. The market share is distributed with 22.8 percent for BEV and 11.2 percent for PHEV. Plug-in vehicles are thus only just behind hybrid vehicles, which account for a total of 35 percent of new registrations. In 2025, 82,603 hybrids, 53,250 BEVs, and 26,189 PHEVs (total 162,042 units) were registered.

Decline in diesel and petrol vehicles

The growing acceptance of electrified drives contrasts with a clear decline in traditional combustion engines. Diesel vehicles experience a decrease of around 30 percent, petrol vehicles a decline of around 20 percent. Both drive types account for a combined total of 71,685 units in the new car market.

Thomas Rücker, director of auto-schweiz, interprets the figures: 'Our members offer more than 300 attractive e-models. Despite this variety and attractive entry offers, the ramp-up of low-emission vehicles and the renewal of the vehicle fleet in Switzerland is proceeding sluggishly. Accelerated growth requires e-mobility- friendly policies, lower electricity prices, and a significant expansion of the public charging infrastructure.'

Detailed brand-specific figures are available at www.auto.swiss. Evaluations by auto-schweiz are based on federal surveys, but data may be preliminary and incomplete.

Contact for press:
Frank Keidel
Press Spokesperson
T +41 76 399 69 06
frank.keidel@auto.swiss

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