Gasoline cars are regaining ground over diesel vehicles

Greeks are returning to gasoline-fueled cars, as data point to a rapid decline in the market share of diesel vehicles.

After the jump recorded in the first few years after diesel cars were allowed in Athens and Thessaloniki, the market appears to heading back in the other direction. Two key factors in this change are the advent of modern gasoline engines and the realization that most Greeks mainly drive short distances in the city rather than long journeys, where diesel makes more financial sense.

Data on the first 10 months of the year from the Association of Car Importers-Representatives (SEAA) show that 65.7 percent of new passenger cars use gasoline, against 59.6 percent in the same period last year. Meanwhile the share of diesel-powered vehicles fell 9.1 percentage points year-on-year, from 35.7 percent to 26.6 percent. Hybrid vehicles, on the other hand, posted a rise, from 3.5 percent last year to 5.4 percent this year.