Ukrainians prefer gasoline cars, but the share of diesel cars has increased. Results 2022

Last year, in 2022, Ukrainians mostly bought gasoline cars, but more used diesel cars were imported from abroad. The share of electric cars has doubled, but such cars make up only 1.9% of the total number of sales transactions. Experts of the Institute of Car Market Research determined which type of fuel was most often chosen by Ukrainians during the past year: among domestic resales, import of used cars and sales of new cars, as well as the dynamics of installation of gas cylinder equipment.

General dynamics of passenger car sales by fuel type

During 2022, Ukrainians most often chose gasoline cars. They were purchased by 42.1% of the total number of new and used cars (486.5 thousand). If we add to them cars with installed HBO ( 15.2%, 175.9 thousand) and cars with hybrid engines ( 1.7%, 19.5 thousand), then gasoline cars will make up the absolute majority: 59.1% from the total number of sales.

Instead, the share of diesel cars was 38.5% (444.3 thousand). In 2022, there were 0.5% of the total number (6.2 thousand) of machines equipped with an engine to work exclusively on gas fuel (LPI type).

The share of electric cars was 1.9% (22.5 thousand) of the total number.

If compared with 2021, the share of diesel passenger cars increased the most (from 30% to 38.5%), while the share of diesel vehicles decreased from 48.6% to 42.1%. The share of cars with HBO decreased from 17.9% to 15.2%; the share of " gas " cars also decreased (from 0.8% to 0.5%), while the share of hybrid cars remained unchanged (1.7%).

The biggest changes during 2022 in the structure of shares by type of fuel occurred during April-July: then the share of diesel cars increased noticeably. To a greater extent, the redistribution of shares was influenced by the so-called "zero" customs clearance, to a lesser extent by the fuel crisis. In August, the situation stabilized, the share of cars with diesel engines decreased, and since then the structure of the automobile market by type of fuel has remained quite stable.

Internal resales

In the domestic market in 2022, gasoline cars dominated — 43.8% of such deals were concluded (311.4 thousand deals); with a gas installation — in 22.1% of cases (157.2 thousand transactions). Thus, last year diesel cars were in the minority: 31.2% (222 thousand deals).

The share of other, more environmentally friendly engine types in the domestic market is still insignificant. Thus, among all cars on the domestic market, only 1.3% were electric (9.2 thousand deals), 1.2% — hybrid (8.2 thousand deals) and 0.5% — exclusively gas (3.7 thousands of transactions).

In general, the preferences of Ukrainians when choosing a car based on the type of engine in the domestic market are quite stable, and the shares of different types of fuel changed little, even during the operation of "zero" customs clearance. However, certain changes did occur during the year: if you compare the indicators with 2021, the share of diesel cars has become larger (31.2% instead of 25.5%), gasoline cars — smaller (43.8% instead of 46.8%). The number of purchase and sale agreements with HBO also decreased (from 25.5% to 22.1%). The share of hybrid cars increased slightly (from 0.9% to 1.2%). The share of electric cars has almost doubled (from 0.7% to 1.3%). The share of cars with a gas engine remained unchanged: 0.5%.

Import of used cars

In 2022, used cars with a diesel engine were most imported from abroad (212.7 thousand, 52.6% ). The share of gasoline cars was 37.9% (153.3 thousand), and cars with HBO — 4.5% (18.3 thousand).

Hybrid cars accounted for 1.5% (6.2 thousand) of the total number of imported cars, gas cars — 0.6% (2.5 thousand). The latter are most often brought from South Korea.

Last year, electric cars were brought in 2.7% of cases (11.1 thousand).

Compared to 2021, the share of diesel cars increased from 38.5% to 52.6%, and the share of gasoline cars decreased from 49.3% to 37.9%. The share of LPG cars also decreased (from 7.7% to 4.5%), and gas cars — from 1.5% to 0.6%. The share of hybrids remained at the same level — 1.5%. The share of electric cars increased from 1.4% to 2.7%.

The most noticeable changes in 2022 occurred in April-July, when the share of diesel cars grew the most. The maximum was recorded in May and June: more than 66%. This was a consequence of the so-called "zero" customs clearance. After the return of customs payments, the share of passenger cars with a diesel engine halved. Accordingly, the share of gasoline cars also proportionally increased by almost two times.

It is also interesting that almost immediately after the cancellation of "zero" customs clearance, since August, the share of imported electric cars with mileage increased significantly — almost doubled. If at the beginning of the year it was about 1.6%, then according to the results of December, there were already 7.7% of electric cars. Quantitatively, the import of electric cars also doubled.

New cars

As in other categories of the car market, new passenger cars with gasoline engines became the most popular in 2022. Among all new cars registered for the first time last year, there were 55.7% of them (21.8 thousand units). 12.9% of cars (5.1 thousand units) were registered with hybrid engines, and 1% (398 units) with a factory gas installation. Together, their share was 74.4%.

The share of diesel passenger cars in new car sales was recorded at 24.6% (9.6 thousand units). The share of electric cars was 5.8% (2.3 thousand).

Compared to 2021, the number of gasoline cars decreased from 60.5% to 55.7%, diesel cars from 26.7% to 24.6%, and LPG cars from 1.8% to 1%. Instead, the share of hybrid cars (from 9.8% to 12.9%) and electric cars (from 1.1% to 5.8%) increased. The share of the latter was the largest in May (10.8%), at the peak of the so-called fuel crisis.

Dynamics of installation of HBO

During 2022, Ukrainians converted 21,900 cars to work on gas cylinder equipment. This is 27.3% less than in 2021.

With the beginning of a full-scale war, the number of HBO installations decreased significantly. Yes, only about 400 such facts were recorded in April. In May, this process intensified, and already in June gas cylinder equipment was installed on 2,100 cars. This could be a consequence of the shortage and increase in the price of fuel. The most conversions were registered in September — 2.9 thousand cars. There was a certain decline in October and November, and in December already 2.7 thousand cars were equipped with HBO, which was the second result of the year.

Subscribe to the Telegram channel of the Auto Market Research Institute to receive information first, without advertising and spam.