More than 350,000 new vehicles entered service on Swiss roads in 2021, marking a significant increase from the first year of the pandemic. But numbers are still almost 15% below levels seen in 2019 and were subdued last year because suppliers were unable meet demand.
“The global shortage of certain electronic components and the difficulties in international logistics meant car manufacturers were unable to deliver all the vehicles that were ordered,” said the Federal Statistical OfficeExternal link on Monday.
As a result, the average age of Swiss cars on the road has climbed from 8.7 years to 9.3 since 2019.
The international shortage of microchips is the principal cause of the current problem. Chip manufacturers in the United States are building up production but have warned it may take some time before capacity can be built up to meet the shortfall.
Of the vehicles that were delivered to Switzerland, more than a fifth of passenger cars were electric or hybrid models, which is above the government target of 15%. Demand for petrol and diesel-powered cars continued to decline.
Combined with existing cars on the road, the share of electric cars has increased from 0.9% in 2020 to 1.5% in 2021, and from 0.5% to 0.9% for plug-in hybrids.
And with travel options limited by Covid-19 lockdowns and border restrictions, the number of new motorhomes registered in 2021 increased by more than a quarter.
This content was published on
Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
This content was published on
The government plans to present a new revision of the CO2 law before the end of the year - most likely without new taxes to fight climate change.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.