Electric vehicle registrations continue to rise

Cyprus recorded a sharp rise in electric and hybrid vehicle registrations in the first four months of 2026, as new vehicle registrations increased by 15.1 per cent year-on-year, according to a report released by the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat) on Friday.

The report showed that hybrid vehicles accounted for more than half of all passenger saloon car registrations in Cyprus during the January-April 2026 period, highlighting the continued shift away from conventional petrol and diesel-powered cars.

According to Cystat, the share of hybrid passenger saloon cars rose to 50.8 per cent in the first four months of 2026, compared with 43.3 per cent during the corresponding period of 2025.

At the same time, the share of electric vehicles increased to 5.2 per cent, from 4.8 per cent a year earlier.

In contrast, petrol-powered passenger cars fell to 35.6 per cent of the market, compared with 42.9 per cent in the same period of 2025.

Meanwhile, diesel-powered passenger cars declined to 8.5 per cent, from 9.0 per cent in the previous year.

The statistical service further reported that total motor vehicle registrations reached 18,570 in the January-April 2026 period, up from 16,133 during the same period of 2025.

The report also showed that passenger saloon car registrations increased by 14.0 per cent to 14,259 vehicles, compared with 12,509 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Of the total number of passenger saloon cars registered, 4,800 vehicles or 33.7 per cent were new, while 9,459 vehicles or 66.3 per cent were used cars.

At the same time, rental passenger car registrations declined by 14.8 per cent to 1,321 vehicles, compared with 1,551 in the same period of 2025.

For April 2026 alone, total motor vehicle registrations rose by 22.1 per cent to 4,733, compared with 3,877 in April 2025.

In the same month, passenger saloon car registrations climbed by 24.2 per cent to 3,632 vehicles, from 2,924 a year earlier.

The report also pointed to strong growth in commercial and transport-related vehicle categories.

Specifically, goods conveyance vehicles increased by 17.8 per cent to 2,263 during January-April 2026, compared with 1,921 in the same period of 2025.

Within that category, light goods vehicles rose by 13.4 per cent to 1,781.

In addition, road tractors increased by 19.2 per cent to 87 vehicles, while heavy goods vehicles also recorded a significant increase, rising by 34.7 per cent to 287 vehicles.

Rental vehicles posted one of the strongest increases in the report, surging by 66.2 per cent to 108 vehicles.

Elsewhere, motor coaches and buses nearly doubled, increasing to 84 registrations during January-April 2026, from 44 in the same period of 2025.

The report also showed diverging trends in the two-wheeler market.

Registrations of mopeds under 50cc declined sharply to 43 during the first four months of 2026, compared with 80 in the corresponding period of 2025.

However, registrations of motorcycles above 50cc increased by 21.5 per cent to 1,666, from 1,371 a year earlier.