Automotive aftermarket analytics specialist, GIPA, has released some interesting information about the challenges its sees the European aftermarket facing as it emerges from the COVID-19 crisis.

GIPA says that not only is the aftermarket having to deal with the Europe wide collapse in registrations during 2020, but also the rapidly changing type of new cars being sold in terms of battery electric and hybrid vehicles. The analytics company says the move towards the energy transformation of vehicle fleets is accelerating faster than expected, post pandemic, with 33% of car registrations in the first 5 months of 2021 being alternative energy vehicles.

This also means that 7 out of 10 cars registered have a combustible engine, so traditional engines will have a role to play in the aftermarket for many years to come. However, by 2024 GIPA estimates that overall in Europe alternative fuel vehicles will be 10% of the car parc.

With regard to the aftermarket alternative fuel vehicles represented only 2% of cars entering workshops in 2020, but GIPA says this will grow quickly to around 8% in 2023. GIPA points out that, “The manufacturer networks and the independent aftermarket players will not be on the same playing field when faced with this increase in demand. The manufacturer networks will adapt to this change very quickly, whereas Independent aftermarket players will lag behind in meeting the demand.”

The need to adapt quicker to changes in urban areas will also become apparent as major cities restrict the movement and access of higher emission cars. GIPA expects a different picture in rural areas, such as the bulk of Ireland. Here there is expected to be a concentration of the older vehicles equipped with a combustible engine that will visit independent repairers for maintenance and repairs.