The start of Doha Metro services and higher fuel prices appear to have no adverse impact on the sales of private cars and vehicles in Qatar as it was anticipated. The sales of private vehicles, including cars and SUVs, in the country saw an increase of nearly 5 percent (year-on-year) during the first six months of this year (H1 2019) compared to the corresponding period last year (January-June 2018).
The combined number of newly registered private vehicles during the January-June period this year surged to 22,696 against 21,643 for the same period last year. During H1 2019 some 32,364 new vehicles were registered (all types including cars, private and commercial vehicles and equipment). Private vehicles took the lion’s share accounting for more than 70 percent of the total registrations during the period, official data compiled by The Peninsula show.
Qatar’s automobile market by and large remained stable during the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year, as the overall sales of vehicles in all categories stood at 32,364 in H1 2019 against 32,570 in H1 2018. When compared on half-yearly basis, it has registered an increase of over 6 percent (or 1,876) compared to the total number of 30,488 registration of new vehicles in H2 2018.
The sales of private motor cycles also registered a phenomenal growth over the period. Some 1,529 new motorcycles were registered during the January-June period in 2019, witnessing a sharp jump of nearly 54 percent (y-o-y) compared to 993 units sold for the same period last year. The sales of new motorcycles during H2 2018 period stood at 1,834 units.
The registration of new vehicles for private transport such as limousine and other commercial services have declined by 11.42 percent to 6,661 in H1 2019 compared to 7,520 in H1 2018. However, when compared with the second half of last year (6,169 in H2 2018), the sales of new vehicles for private transport witnessed an increase of nearly 8 percent in H1 2019.
The sales of trailers and heavy equipment during the first half of this year saw a significantly decline compared to the same period last year. Even when compared on the half-yearly basis, the sales of heavy equipment witnessed a sharp decline. This is understandably due to the completion of several big ticket projects in the construction sector where such equipment and machines find wide application.
The registration of new trailers and heavy equipment stood at 282 and 299, respectively, in H1 2019 against 526 and 934 in H1 2018. During the second half of last year (July-December, H2 2018) some 302 trailers and 1,117 units of heavy equipment were sold, official data show.
