At the end of the first nine months of 2017, the tables prepared by ACAP showed that sales of light vehicles (passenger and commercial) were already very close to 200 thousand , about 15 thousand units above that in the same accounting in relation to 2016.
despite the 5.1% growth Since the sale of light vehicles is more moderate than that seen a year ago, this pace suggests that, by the end of the year, there may be more than 270 thousand units.
While not neglecting the role of private customers for the current size of the car market in Portugal, confirmed by the increase in credit amounts and the number of contracts, companies continue to bear a great deal of responsibility for the growth in registration of new cars in Portugal.
Which companies buy?
From the outset, the rent-a-car sector, greatly boosted by the increase in tourism in Portugal. With its specificities regarding the acquisition of vehicles, rent-a-car remains responsible for around 20% to 25% of the light vehicle market.
In addition to a few new multinationals that entered Portugal and the large accounts that remained, purchases by the rest of the Portuguese business fabric are quite fragmented, as explained by the director of the professional sales department of one of the main car brands in Portugal.
After difficult years of reducing fleet (2012, 2013…), there are many companies renewing this year and negotiating the next one, but few are adding vehicles.
In a conservative or more prudent attitude, some organizations are choosing to hire external services, on an outsourcing basis, to supply the extra work.
This contingency, and also the result of the bet that the managers have been making towards small companies and individual entrepreneurs, has contributed to maintaining the weight of the corporate market.
It is even up to SMEs the highest growth rates in the acquisition of vehicles, and their adhesion to renting is also growing.
This is why the Fleet Magazine Fleet Management Conference, which takes place on 27 October at the Estoril Congress Center, dedicates an important part of the Exhibition to this type of audience.
“SME's have been showing an increasing interest in renting and are, indisputably, the area with the greatest potential for growth in the short/medium term. At the moment, they represent approximately one-fifth of our total client portfolio, a weight that has been increasing year on year”, confirms Pedro Pessoa, Leaseplan's commercial director.
“At the SME/ENI level, the number of new contracts continues to accelerate. In fact, we saw a 63% growth in portfolios in the first six months of the year”, reinforces Nelson Lopes, the new Head of Fleet at VWFS,
The number of square cars has also grown , given that in the largest urban and tourist areas, new means of transport based on digital platforms and also companies with airport/hotel/event transfer services are a growing market in the area of renting.
Consult Fleet Magazine for more articles on the automotive market.