Tero Lausala, CEO of the Finnish Central Organisation for Motor Trade and Repairs, attributed the slump to low consumer confidence and delayed effects of falling interest rates. Despite the tough year, Lausala noted a 14% rise in customer orders during late 2024, predicting a 10% growth in first registrations for 2025.
Used car sales increased by about 5% in 2024 compared to the previous year. The share of fully electric vehicles (EVs) in used car sales rose to 5.4%, up from 3.8% in 2023.
A total of 3,444 new trucks were registered in 2024, representing a 12.8% decrease from 2023. However, low-emission trucks, including electric and gas-powered models, made up 7.2% of the new truck registrations, more than doubling the 3.4% share in 2023. The growth was supported by a subsidy for low-emission trucks, which ended in late 2024.
Bus registrations saw a dramatic 125.3% increase, with 561 new buses registered. This surge was driven by significant public sector procurement.
Nearly half (49.6%) of all newly registered passenger cars in Finland in 2024 were plug-in vehicles, including 29.5% fully electric cars and 20.1% plug-in hybrids. Corporate purchases accounted for 48% of all new passenger car registrations, with 55.9% of those being plug-in vehicles. Among company cars, 44% were fully electric.
Electric vehicles (EVs) surpassed 10% of the overall car fleet in Finland in 2024, supported by tax incentives for low-emission company cars, which have been extended to 2029. Tero Kallio, CEO of the Association of Automobile Importers and Manufacturers in Finland, called the incentive a crucial boost for the industry.
For private buyers, the 40-49 age group led the shift, with 52.2% of their car purchases being plug-ins.
Uusimaa dominated the new car market, with 46.4% of first registrations in 2024. Among these, 33.1% were fully electric cars, and 21.8% were plug-in hybrids. Other regions also showed strong adoption rates, such as Northern Ostrobothnia, where 31.1% of new registrations were fully electric, and 18.6% were plug-in hybrids.
HT
