Imports of electric vehicles increased by 140% — JFZIC

AMMAN —  The Jordan Free Zone Investor Commission (JFZIC) said that, 34,902 electric vehicles (EVs) have been cleared during the January-November period of 2023, marking “significant” increase of a 140 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

In its 2023 report, JFZIC reported a rising trend in sustainable transport in the Kingdom when 15,576 EVs, 13,629 hybrid vehicles, 9,456 diesel vehicles and 15,634 gasoline vehicles were cleared in 2022. The trend continues in 2023 with hybrid vehicles imported to the country outnumbering diesel cars, the report said, with 14,873 hybrid vehicles, 7,309 diesel vehicles, and 10,640 gasoline vehicles cleared during the January-November period. 

In remarks to The Jordan Times, Jihad Abu Nasser, representative of the automobile sector at the JFZIC, said hybrid and electric vehicles represent 18 per cent of the transport system in the Kingdom, with EVs alone accounting for   80,000 out of the over two million registered vehicles. .

“Although they [EVs] still account for a small percentage of the market share in Jordan, demand on EVs has increased dramatically over the past two years, equalling half of the cars imported from 2015 to 2022.

Abu Nasser also emphasised the need for local investment in EV charging network to further boost demand on electric cars.

“There are around 60 operating EV charging stations in Jordan as of October 2023,” he said, citing official figures. 

The prices of the majority of EVs sold in Jordan range between JD10,000 to JD25,000, depending on model, size, and battery capacity, among other factors, according to Abu Nasser. He noted that Chinese vehicles currently dominate the automobile market in Jordan, accounting for roughly 80 per cent of EV imports. “It is expected that by the end of this year, Chinese vehicles will comprise over 50 per cent of the local automobile market share.”

He also pointed out that overall demand on cars in Jordan has declined since the beginning of the war on Gaza, attributing the decline to “psychological” factors and change in spending habit.

“But the import activity in Jordan was not impacted at all as car import deals are usually agreed upon at least three months in advance,” he said, adding,” While the summer season usually marks the peak period for automobile demand in Jordan, 2023 has been exceptional, witnessing increased demand for EVs throughout the year.”