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Passenger car ownership in Slovenia has almost doubled over the last 20 years and has an above-average growth rate. It is closely connected to the use of passenger cars. Since 2008, passenger car ownership in Slovenia has been growing more slowly as a result of the economic recession. Also, motorisation level (expressed in the number of cars per thousand inhabitants) in Slovenia exceeds the average rate of motorisation in the EU as well as in numerous more economically developed EU countries. In 2015, the motorisation level in Slovenia was 523 cars per thousand inhabitants, which is approximately 50% more than in 1995. The number of passenger cars per household in Slovenia is also increasing. Compared to 1991, the number of passenger cars owned by an average Slovenian household was exceeded by one third in 2015. 

 


The indicator shows number of passenger cars and inhabitants in period 1970-2021 in Slovenia, the development of car ownership in period 1970-2021 in Slovenia and in years 2003, 2011 and 2019 in the EU-28 countries, the number of trucks per unit GDP (truck intensity) in period 1995-2021 in Slovenia, the number of buses per number of inhabitants in period 1995-2021 in Slovenia, and the share of diesel cars within the entire passenger car fleet in period 1986-2021 in Slovenia and in years 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 in the EU-28 countries.

Passenger cars ownership is defined as number of passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (EEA, 2015). Passenger car is a road vehicle (excluding motorcycles) with less than nine seats (including driver’s) used for transportation of passengers. The number of passenger cars is defined as the number of registered vehicles in a country on a certain date that can use the public roads (SURS, 2004).

The share of diesel cars in the entire passenger car fleet is defined as the number of diesel cars per total number of passenger cars and is expressed in percentage of diesel cars in the entire passenger car fleet (EEA, 2015).

Freight transport intensity is expressed by the number of heavy-duty trucks per million Euro of GDP (EEA, 2015).

 

 


Charts

Figure PR11-1: Number of passenger cars and population, Slovenia, 1970-2021
Sources: 

Statistical Office of RS (20. 10. 2022)

Show data

Number of inhabitants

Number of passenger cars

No. of inhabitants in thousands

No. of passenger cars in thousands

Motorisation rate

1970

1731787

150807

1731.79

150.81

87.08

1971

1744882

177284

1744.88

177.28

101.60

1972

1759584

198493

1759.58

198.49

112.81

1973

1773809

227981

1773.81

227.98

128.53

1974

1790229

251110

1790.23

251.11

140.27

1975

1808707

270732

1808.71

270.73

149.68

1976

1831790

306015

1831.79

306.02

167.06

1977

1852963

323554

1852.96

323.55

174.61

1978

1872133

366394

1872.13

366.39

195.71

1979

1893064

389192

1893.06

389.19

205.59

1980

1909566

416448

1909.57

416.45

218.09

1981

1924690

430132

1924.69

430.13

223.48

1982

1929292

448315

1929.29

448.32

232.37

1983

1937588

466003

1937.59

466.00

240.51

1984

1948577

489373

1948.58

489.37

251.14

1985

1975273

501538

1975.27

501.54

253.91

1986

1985486

490828

1985.49

490.83

247.21

1987

1994066

514850

1994.07

514.85

258.19

1988

1996325

548539

1996.33

548.54

274.77

1989

1996377

554592

1996.38

554.59

277.80

1990

1999945

578268

1999.95

578.27

289.14

1991

1998912

594289

1998.91

594.29

297.31

1992

1994084

606245

1994.08

606.25

304.02

1993

1989408

650344

1989.41

650.34

326.90

1994

1989477

668307

1989.48

668.31

335.92

1995

1990266

711364

1990.27

711.36

357.42

1996

1986989

743057

1986.99

743.06

373.96

1997

1984923

776798

1984.92

776.80

391.35

1998

1978334

811671

1978.33

811.67

410.28

1999

1987755

846109

1987.76

846.11

425.66

2000

1990094

866096

1990.09

866.10

435.20

2001

1994026

881487

1994.03

881.49

442.06

2002

1995033

894521

1995.03

894.52

448.37

2003

1996433

910429

1996.43

910.43

456.03

2004

1997590

933941

1997.59

933.94

467.53

2005

2003358

960213

2003.36

960.21

479.30

2006

2010377

980261

2010.38

980.26

487.60

2007

2025866

1014122

2025.87

1014.12

500.59

2008

2032362

1045183

2032.36

1045.18

514.27

2009

2046976

1058858

2046.98

1058.86

517.28

2010

2050189

1061646

2050.19

1061.65

517.83

2011

2055496

1066495

2055.50

1066.50

518.85

2012

2058821

1066028

2058.82

1066.03

517.79

2013

2061085

1063795

2061.09

1063.80

516.13

2014

2062874

1068362

2062.87

1068.36

517.90

2015

2064188

1078737

2064.19

1078.74

522.60

2016

2065895

1096523

2065.90

1096.52

530.77

2017

2066880

1117935

2066.88

1117.94

540.88

2018

2080908

1143150

2080.91

1143.15

549.35

2019

2095861

1165371

2095.86

1165.37

556.03

2020

2108977

1170690

2108.98

1170.69

555.10

2021

2107180

1189457

2107.18

1189.46

564.48

Figure PR11-2: Rate of motorization (number of passenger cars/1,000 inhabitants), Slovenia, 1970-2021
Sources: 

Statistical Office of RS (20. 10. 2022)

Show data

Motorisation rate [Number of cars/1,000 inhabitants]

1970

87.08

1971

101.60

1972

112.81

1973

128.53

1974

140.27

1975

149.68

1976

167.06

1977

174.61

1978

195.71

1979

205.59

1980

218.09

1981

223.48

1982

232.37

1983

240.51

1984

251.14

1985

253.91

1986

247.21

1987

258.19

1988

274.77

1989

277.80

1990

289.14

1991

297.31

1992

304.02

1993

326.90

1994

335.92

1995

357.42

1996

373.96

1997

391.35

1998

410.28

1999

425.66

2000

435.20

2001

442.06

2002

448.37

2003

456.03

2004

467.53

2005

479.30

2006

487.60

2007

500.59

2008

514.27

2009

517.28

2010

517.83

2011

518.85

2012

517.79

2013

516.13

2014

517.90

2015

522.60

2016

530.77

2017

540.88

2018

549.35

2019

556.03

2020

555.10

2021

564.48

Figure PR11-3: Share of diesel cars in passenger car fleet, Slovenia,1986-2021
Sources: 

NIO database, Statistical Office of RS (20. 10. 2022)

Chart note: 

Figure PR11-3: Data before 1992 are estimations.

Show data

Share of diesel cars in passenger car fleet[%]

1986

7.46

1987

7.15

1988

7.05

1989

7.28

1990

7.44

1991

7.77

1992*

7.83

1993

7.82

1994

8.11

1995

8.08

1996

8.19

1997

8.38

1998

8.66

1999

8.98

2000

9.23

2001

10.01

2002

11.82

2003

14.35

2004

17.61

2005

20.48

2006

24.44

2007

27.59

2008

30.11

2009

32.62

2010

34.70

2011

36.51

2012

38.52

2013

40.47

2014

42.46

2015

43.91

2016

45.66

2017

47.30

2018

48.59

2019

49.58

2020

50.29

2021

50.60

Figure PR11-4: Truck intensity and number of buses per 1,000 inhabitants, Slovenia, 1995-2021
Sources: 

Statistical Office of RS (20. 10. 2022)

Show data

Trucks[Number]

Buses[Number]

GDP[Number]

Inhabitants[Number]

Trucks per 1.000 inh.[Number]

Trucks per million € GDP[Number]

Buses per 1.000 inh.[Number]

Buses per million € GDP[Number]

1995

34553

2473

10560.80

1990266

17.36

3.27

1.24

0.23

1996

36735

2407

12147.30

1986989

18.49

3.02

1.21

0.20

1997

38651

2369

13836.50

1984923

19.47

2.79

1.19

0.17

1998

40010

2325

15351.80

1978334

20.22

2.61

1.18

0.15

1999

41904

2315

17226.60

1987755

21.08

2.43

1.16

0.13

2000

44027

2255

18853.10

1990094

22.12

2.34

1.13

0.12

2001

45552

2213

21147.70

1994026

22.84

2.15

1.11

0.10

2002

47110

2196

23548.60

1995033

23.61

2.00

1.10

0.09

2003

48673

2190

25613.30

1996433

24.38

1.90

1.10

0.09

2004

51241

2269

27628.20

1997590

25.65

1.85

1.14

0.08

2005

53646

2255

29113.60

2003358

26.78

1.84

1.13

0.08

2006

57051

2277

31470.30

2010377

28.38

1.81

1.13

0.07

2007

62635

2330

35073.50

2025866

30.92

1.79

1.15

0.07

2008

67585

2378

37925.70

2032362

33.25

1.78

1.17

0.06

2009

68122

2394

36254.90

2046976

33.28

1.88

1.17

0.07

2010

68320

2400

36363.90

2050189

33.32

1.88

1.17

0.07

2011

68635

2422

37058.60

2055496

33.39

1.85

1.18

0.07

2012

68195

2410

36253.30

2058821

33.12

1.88

1.17

0.07

2013

68264

2465

36454.30

2061085

33.12

1.87

1.20

0.07

2014

69821

2559

37634.30

2062874

33.85

1.86

1.24

0.07

2015

72235

2631

38852.60

2064188

34.99

1.86

1.27

0.07

2016

75606

2679

40443.20

2065895

36.60

1.87

1.30

0.07

2017

80175

2782

43011.30

2066880

38.79

1.86

1.35

0.06

2018

85247

2834

45876.30

2080908

40.97

1.86

1.36

0.06

2019

89780

2884

48533.10

2095861

42.84

1.85

1.38

0.06

2020

92277

2339

47020.60

2108977

43.75

1.96

1.11

0.05

2021

96795

2638

52208.10

2107180

45.94

1.85

1.25

0.05

Figure PR11-5: Rate of motorization (number of passenger cars/1,000 inhabitants), Slovenia, 1970-2021
Sources: 

Statistical Office of RS (20. 10. 2022)

Show data

Motorisation rate[Number of cars/1,000 inhabitants]

1970

87.08

1971

101.60

1972

112.81

1973

128.53

1974

140.27

1975

149.68

1976

167.06

1977

174.61

1978

195.71

1979

205.59

1980

218.09

1981

223.48

1982

232.37

1983

240.51

1984

251.14

1985

253.91

1986

247.21

1987

258.19

1988

274.77

1989

277.80

1990

289.14

1991

297.31

1992

304.02

1993

326.90

1994

335.92

1995

357.42

1996

373.96

1997

391.35

1998

410.28

1999

425.66

2000

435.20

2001

442.06

2002

448.37

2003

456.03

2004

467.53

2005

479.30

2006

487.60

2007

500.59

2008

514.27

2009

517.28

2010

517.83

2011

518.85

2012

517.79

2013

516.13

2014

517.90

2015

522.60

2016

530.77

2017

540.88

2018

549.35

2019

556.03

2020

555.10

2021

564.48

Figure PR11-6: Rate of motorization in individual European countries, 2003, 2013, 2021
Sources: 

EU energy and transport in figures – Statistical pocketbook 2009, European Comission, 2009; EU transport in figures – Statistical pocketbook 2013, European Comission, 2013; EU transport in figures - Statistical pocketbook 2015, European Comission, 2016; EU transport in figures - Statistical pocketbook 2021.

Show data

2003[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2007[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2010[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2011[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2012[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2013[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2014[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2015[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2016[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2017[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2018[Number per 1,000 inh.]

2019[Number per 1,000 inh.]

Romania

142

164

202

203

224.14

235.46

246.98

260.88

278.58

307.06

332.36

357.13

Latvia

280

398

286

300

305.50

317.07

331.20

344.88

340.58

356.70

368.67

381.18

Hungary

275

300

299

298

301.35

307.80

315.32

325.20

338.17

355.07

372.65

390.19

Bulgaria

296

272

347

368

385.34

401.65

418.47

442.00

442.63

392.99

396.19

407.10

Croatia

300.40

345.81

353.26

355.07

339.08

341.04

348.97

357.89

373.81

388.77

408.81

425.04

Slovakia

252

265

307

324

337.14

347.08

359.51

374.95

390.37

408.43

425.95

438.55

Ireland

379

434

424

417

415.31

419.88

420.35

424.67

428.20

432.14

433.88

442.46

Denmark

351

378

389

394

399.30

404.84

411.61

418.91

428.88

437.63

446.85

455.41

Sweden

454

464

460

464

465.38

466.10

470.44

473.97

477.04

478.73

476.04

473.21

United Kingdom

452

476

470

466

463.88

467.67

470.50

476.77

482.84

485.26

487.54

490.62

Netherlands

425

451

452

470

471.74

471.34

472.11

477.11

481.40

487.34

493.61

498.51

Greece

348

428

461

461

467.12

466.15

470.70

473.64

479.19

487.46

492.58

504.41

Belgium

464

473

482

490

487.45

491.33

494.38

497.17

503.19

507.56

511.00

511.11

Spain

441

481

480

482

476.11

473.57

474.27

481.38

491.68

503.67

512.90

518.84

Portugal

379

412

421

447

428.80

429.64

452.99

456.71

470.46

491.64

514.08

529.54

Lithuania

365

472

521

570

589.99

614.57

412.72

430.69

456.03

483.11

511.96

536.38

Czech Republic

363

412

427

436

447.50

449.87

458.65

484.69

501.74

521.96

539.73

554.05

Slovenia

456

501

518

519

517.79

516.13

517.90

522.60

530.77

540.88

549.35

556.03

Austria

498

510

528

535

542.39

545.54

546.88

545.72

549.60

555.30

562.02

566.22

France

506

508

501

502

504.74

504.37

550.23

554.90

560.67

565.98

571.19

569.44

Germany

485

501

517

525

539.36

542.85

546.85

548.47

555.05

561.34

567.29

573.74

Malta

522

548

573

589

592.39

602.03

605.73

610.94

614.67

613.12

608.12

596.87

Estonia

321

391

480

482

456.08

477.65

496.63

514.16

534.42

550.29

563.45

598.15

Poland

294

383

451

470

486.44

503.68

526.34

545.81

570.81

592.57

616.99

641.76

Cyprus

414

521

575

545

549.11

553.10

564.92

574.89

594.62

609.34

628.72

644.70

Finland

436

485

535

551

563.42

573.70

583.90

593.66

608.00

620.88

633.36

646.95

Italy

593

598

606

610

621.23

608.12

609.92

615.69

625.13

636.87

652.30

663.05

Luxembourg

645

665

659

658

662.61

660.83

662.26

661.35

661.85

669.90

676.25

680.95

EU - 28

388.57

428.59

446.86

454.56

458.45

464.16

465.87

475.12

485.50

495.26

506.58

517.43


Goals

Neither Slovenia nor the EU have set any goals or target values to regulate the number of passenger cars at the national level. The goals that are indirectly linked to the motorisation rate and passenger car ownership relate to the composition rather than size of a vehicle fleet – fuel consumption and vehicle emission standards. As a rule, emission standards limit environmental pollution caused by passenger cars.


Passenger car ownership is an indicator that is closely related to car use (and thus, the rate of motorisation), especially in urban areas. An increasing rate of motorisation leads to increased negative impacts on the environment. Passenger car ownership is also closely related to the trends that characterise the modern way of life, such as the decreasing number of household members, higher number of cars per household, increasing average travel distances as well as reduced accessibility and flexibility of public transport.

In the EU, motorisation-related goals are linked to the composition rather than size of a vehicle fleet – fuel consumption and vehicle emission standards. Nevertheless, cars are considered a luxury in some Scandinavian countries, as basic mobility is provided by public passenger transport. Consequently, this indicator indirectly shows the transport policy orientation of a certain country or region. Countries that are successful in providing car-free mobility have considerably smaller vehicle fleets.

As a rule, higher motorisation rates are a characteristic of the most economically developed countries, such as Luxembourg and Italy. Nevertheless, in some of the wealthiest European countries (especially in Scandinavia), the motorisation rate is markedly below the European average. The lowest motorisation rates are recorded in countries that are, economically, the least developed and have joined the EU most recently (e.g. Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary). In the period 2003–2013, the motorisation rate increased in all of the EU-28 countries. The largest increase was recorded in some countries that entered the EU in 2004 or 2007; this especially applies to the Baltic States, Romania and Bulgaria. Some of these countries have already surpassed the more economically developed countries.

It is to be expected that rapid motorisation growth will gradually decelerate as the number of cars per inhabitant is already relatively high and other, more sustainable modes of transport, are being developed. In less developed EU countries with a lower number of cars per inhabitant, further growth in car ownership is expected, especially in some newer Member States, but also in some EU-15 Member States (EEA, 2015).

Slovenia is among the countries with the highest increase in car ownership, surpassing the average of all new Member States and candidates for years except Malta and Cyprus. In 2015, there were 1,078,737 passenger cars in Slovenia, which is 7 times more than in 1970. The motorisation rate in 2015 amounted to 523 passenger cars per 1000 inhabitants, which is 166 more than in 1995. In 2010, an average Slovenian household (2.5 members) owned more than one car (1.32 in 2010, 1.34 in 2009, 1.25 in 2002, 0.94 in 1991). A slight decline in passenger car ownership compared to 2010 was recorded in 2015 (1.3 cars per average household [2.5 members]). As regards Slovenian municipalities, the highest number of passenger cars per household was recorded in the municipality of Trzin (2.65 cars per household), followed by the municipalities of Cerklje na Gorenjskem (1.93) and Gorenja vas-Poljane (1.79), while the lowest number of passenger cars per household were recorded in the municipalities of Ankaran (0.44), Osilnica (0.77) and Zavrč (0.94). The number of passenger cars per inhabitant is the highest in the municipalities of Trzin (0.96 passenger cars per inhabitant), Renče-Vogrsko (0.65) and Komen (0.64), while the lowest number of passenger cars per inhabitant was recorded in the municipalities of Ankaran (0.19), Hodoš (0.38) and Osilnica (0.41) (National Interoperability Framework Portal, 2015).

The growth in the number of passenger cars also affects the number of end-of-life vehicles. These vehicles represent hazardous waste, as they contain hazardous substances. Therefore, it is very important to have an efficient system of collection and management of end-of-life vehicles established at the national level. In 2010, there were 6,807 end-of-life vehicles in Slovenia (5,305 tonnes of vehicles), while 6,598 were recorded in 2011 (5,703 tonnes) and 5,447 in 2012 (4,528 tonnes). The share of reused or recovered end-of-life vehicles increased in the period 2010–2012, amounting to 90.6% in 2010, 90.3% in 2011 and 100% in 2012.

Despite its constant growth, the market of passenger cars in Slovenia has not shown any signs of saturation in recent years, as the number of registered vehicles has been growing rapidly since 2012. Growth was stalled in 2008 due to the recession, but resumed in 2012. The number of passenger cars registered for the first time in 2012 was 4,576. In 2013, the number increased to 5,062, in 2014 to 6,392 and in 2015 to 7,129 passenger cars (Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, 2016a). Transport policy on the national level as well in the cities still favours the use of personal cars, which is reflected in rapidly growing investments in road infrastructure, decreasing competitiveness of public passenger transport and the changing settlement patterns in Slovenia (suburbanisation, which is based on accessibility by passenger cars). As a consequence, a growing share of the population decides to meet their transportation needs by using passenger cars.

The share of diesel passenger cars in Slovenia increased consistently in the period 1986–2015. From 2002 onwards, the trend of growth became particularly distinct. The share of diesel passenger cars was 7% in 1986, slightly under 12% in 2002 and as high as 44% in 2015. A higher share of diesel vehicles contributes to better energy efficiency compared to gasoline vehicles. Diesel vehicles contribute considerably less to carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution. On the other hand, diesel vehicles contribute more to air pollution with particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx). In all of the EU-28 countries, the share of diesel vehicles increased in the period 2003–2012. The average share of diesel vehicles in European countries is lower than in Slovenia. In 2012 it was 34% (in Slovenia it was approximately 4% higher). Compared to the average share of diesel cars in European countries in 2012, the share in Slovenia was 6% higher in 2013, 8% higher in 2014 and more than 10% higher in 2015.

The number of buses per 1000 inhabitants was relatively constant in the period 1995–2014, at 1.2 buses per 1000 inhabitants. In 2015, it grew to 1.3 buses per 1000 inhabitants.

The number of trucks per million euro of the GDP in Slovenia in the period 1995–2003 dropped from 3.3 to 1.9. The reason for the drop was GDP growth, which was faster than the growth of the number of trucks. In 2003, GDP growth stabilised, which is why the number of trucks in the period 2013–2015 was relatively constant, at 1.9 trucks per million euro of the GDP.



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