Car boom in September in Kristiansand

KRISTIANSAND: But it was not just Volkswagen’s new electric car ID.3 that provided sky-high registration numbers in Kristiansand in September. The affordable Chinese SUV, the electric car MG ZS, once again shows that it has become a huge success. As many as 50 new ones rolled out from Oddemarka Auto in September. Thus, MG ZS became number two on the statistics in the best ever of September, where almost 600 new cars were registered.

September was an electric car month of the rare with about 60 percent electric cars among the new cars in Kristiansand, about the same percent as for Norway in total. When the rechargeable cars, so-called plug-in cars, accounted for almost 20 per cent, this means that 80 per cent of the new cars in September were equipped with sockets. Tesla, which has had a rather sluggish year in 2020, came strong this month. Model 3 became the third most registered car in Kristiansand.

Among the 13 best-selling car models in Kristiansand this year, there are 12 electric cars. Only the Skoda Octavia, with a diesel engine, challenges electric cars with its eighth place.

—

Order reserve

Part of the explanation for the strong figures is that many dealers had a large order backlog, and finally there was access to cars that have been ordered for a long time. This primarily applies to Volkswagen ID.3, where as many as 81 new cars were registered in Kristiansand in September. But Tesla has also been short of cars, and was able to deliver in September.

One brand that continues to impress is Audi. The electric car e-tron is set to become the best-selling car model in Kristiansand and in Norway this year. Audi sales have increased by the next 122 percent compared to last year. Toyota has been waiting for cars, but has entered into many sales contracts so far this year. Now the rechargeable version of Rav4 has appeared, and it sells well. Thus, Toyota received an increase of almost 60 percent compared to a rather weak September in 2019.

On the whole, many of the major car brands are delivering well in September. Mercedes increased by 83 percent, BMW 93 and Audi by as much as 164.7 percent compared to last year.

Increase in Mandal

Another brand that is making it strong this year is Hyundai. First and foremost, thanks to the electric Kona, Hyundai is in fourth place in the registration statistics after the first nine months of the year, notch in the heel of Toyota, and narrowly ahead of Skoda. The latter has a short break in anticipation of the new Octavia and the electric car Enyaq. This will hardly come until around the turn of the year, but the interest is fierce.

Also in Mandal, the registration figures rose by more than 70 percent. As in Kristiansand, it was Volkswagen and ID.3 that pulled the load and were by far the most registered new car.