„The main effects of the fuel price hike will be that drivers will lose appetite for long-distance driving. Also, we may see clients looking into cars that require less fuel, have low exploitation costs and new technologies,” Valmar told a news conference.
He added Romania will also witness an increase in the number of hybrid cars.
Constantin Stroe, vice-president of Romanian carmaker Dacia and member of the APIA board, said he doesn’t think electric vehicles will be popular on the Romanian market anytime soon.
„The time of electric vehicles in Romania won’t come for another 10-15 years. That’s because the country lacks the infrastructure these vehicles require to function,” said Stroe.
Asked whether Romanian car part makers are ready to start making parts for electric vehicles, Stroe said „they can switch to such activities in a heartbeat, but we still need the know-how.”