The 'rent a car' sector closes August with a 32.75% drop in registrations

The 'rent a car' (RAC) sector closed the month of August with a year-on-year drop of 32.75% in vehicle registrations - including both passenger cars and commercial vehicles - reaching a total of 2,717 units, according to data from consultancy firm MSI for the National Business Federation of Vehicle Rentals (Feneval) published this Tuesday.

Thus, the sector experienced a decline compared to the same month of the previous year, when registrations stood at 4,040 units, the association detailed.

The corporate channel also saw declines last month with a year-on-year decrease of 10.93%, amounting to 25,660 registered units. Meanwhile, the private channel recorded positive figures thanks to a slight growth of 2.68%, reaching 32,916 units.

Throughout August, within the 'RAC' channel, Feneval highlights an overall growth in diesel 'mild hybrid' vehicles, which, after registering 213 units, experienced an increase of 21.02%.

In the overall count, diesel-powered vehicles (41.77%) dominate the largest market share in the channel, followed by gasoline-powered vehicles (30.95%). As for fully electric vehicles, their total market share remains slightly above one percent (1.80%).

Last month, Asturias stood out as the autonomous community with the highest growth level, closing August with 71 new units sold within the 'rent a car' channel, according to Feneval.

The Federation also highlights data from regions such as Valencia (+212.93%) and Aragon (+75%). On the other hand, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands are the communities that registered the lowest percentage in this channel this month, with 80.95% and 77.53% fewer registrations than the previous year, respectively.

"The negative figures recorded during last August confirm the traditional trend of the month regarding a drop in productivity in commercial terms. Vehicle rental companies worked hard to stock their fleets ahead of the summer season in previous months to positively meet supply and demand laws, so August always represents a slowdown in purchases," explains Feneval's executive president, Juan Luis Barahona.