KAZALCI OKOLJA

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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)

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.


Methodology

Date of data source summarization

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