Interim report 1 Jan. -30 September 2024: A turn for the better in building and technical trade
A record-summer for electric cars – Volkswagen the most bought EV brand in Finland, charging at K Charge stations more than doubled in a year
Interest towards electric cars has risen record-high in Finland this summer: the number of electric vehicles on Finnish roads is rising rapidly, and the demand for electric cars exceeds that of traditional cars in Kesko’s K-Auto stores. By the end of July, Volkswagen was the most registered brand of all-electric passenger cars in Finland. Moreover, charging at our K Charge stations has been record-high all summer: in July, charging at our stations more than doubled compared to the year before.
Interest towards electric vehicles has grown rapidly in Finland: by the end of July, 35,266 all-electric passenger cars had been registered in Finland*. The figure was up by over 60% year-on-year. When it comes to new registrations of all-electric passenger cars, Volkswagen is the most registered brand this year, with 776 registered vehicles* by the end of July.
“2022 has definitely been a record-summer for electric cars in Finland. Of course Finland has one of the oldest vehicle stocks in Europe, which means there is still some way to go in updating the stock and thus reducing traffic emissions. All-electric cars account for almost half of all customer orders at K-Auto this summer. Compared to last summer, growth in all-electric cars is over 30%. Finns have clearly embraced Volkswagen’s range of all-electric cars, as Volkswagen leads the pack in new electric passenger car registrations,” says Matti Virtanen, President of Kesko’s car trade division.
Kesko’s K-Auto offers the most extensive selection of electric vehicles in Finland, with a range covering the brands it represents: Volkswagen passenger cars and commercial vehicles, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA, Porsche and Bentley. Global component shortages combined with strong electric car sales mean that we are currently selling lots of electric cars that will be delivered in 2023. However, depending on the model and accessories, customers may be able to get a new electric car in a couple of months.
“Depending on the car model and features, our delivery time for new all-electric cars ranges from 4-6 months up to a year. Used EVs may be available the next day,” says Virtanen.
Charging surging at K Charge stations as the number of electric cars grows
The number of charging events at K Group’s nationwide network of K Charge stations was up by 121% year-on-year in July. By the end of July, the amount of electricity charged at K Charge stations had exceeded that of full-year 2021.
“The number of active K Charge customers has more than doubled since July 2021. This is an indication of the growing popularity and number of electric vehicles, and also enforces our view that there is clearly a need for an extensive electric vehicle charging network in cities and close to main highways where traffic numbers are high,” says Virtanen.
The K Charge network will double in size before the end of this year, with a hundred new stations to be built around Finland. The network currently comprises 115 charging stations, with more than 360 basic charging points and nearly 170 fast and high-power charging points. All electricity at K Charge stations comes from renewable energy, generated with Finnish wind power.
* Source: Dun & Bradstreet, Finnish vehicle stock 31.7.2022
** Source: Dun & Bradstreet, New all-electric car registrations 1.1.2022–31.7.2022
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