Demand for commercial vehicles to transport goods or passengers is rising sharply, the Ukrainian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, or UkrAutoProm, reported on April 2.
In March alone, 1,155 new commercial vehicles like trucks, vans and buses were sold in Ukraine — twice more than last March. A total of 2,821 commercial vehicles were sold in the first quarter, a one-third increase from the same period last year.
French manufacturer Renault’s commercial vehicles were the most popular in the Ukrainian automotive market in March, selling 143 units and surpassing last year’s figure by 17%, according to UkrAutoProm.
Fiat from Italy took second place, selling 136 commercial vehicles, 27% more than in March last year, followed by French brand Peugeot, whose sales more than doubled to 119 units.
Renault Ukraine’s best-selling commercial vehicle is the Dokker VAN, a medium-sized minivan with a large cargo compartment that provides 3,300 liters of storage space, according to Anna Sibekina, a public relations manager at the company.
The French automobile manufacturer has sold 357 Dokker VANs in the first three months of the year, 40% more than during the January-March period in 2020, Sibekina says. Its price starts at Hr 355,700 (around $12,722).
Renault TRAFIC is another commercial vehicle model popular among the clients, the spokeswoman of the company said. The light van, which holds up to nine passengers, starts at Hr 822, 200 (around $29,400). It’s seen a 215% increase in demand in January through March this year compared to the same period in 2020.
Demand for commercial vehicles is rising because it is “a tool for making money in medium and small businesses,” Sibekina said.
