The rise of electric cars in the face of rising fuel costs

In September 2026, the car market in Switzerland and Liechtenstein remained under pressure. With 173,537 cars registered in the first nine months, the sector saw a 2.7% increase compared to the previous year. However, record fuel costs boosted demand for electric vehicles. As a result, more than a third of new registrations were for fully electric vehicles. Including plug-in hybrids, these cars accounted for almost half of all sales.

The pure electric vehicle (BEV) segment accounted for 35.7% of new registrations, a first. In contrast, plug-in hybrids reached only 10.3%, their lowest level of the year. Despite this success, the development of electric cars is not yet meeting the expectations of the 2025 roadmap. This slowdown is due to rising fuel prices, influenced by geopolitical crises and strained supply chains, which are putting a strain on household and business budgets.