Overview
U.S. automotive suppliers may export to one of the 300 Swiss companies that supply the global automotive industry. With no domestic automobile production, Swiss automotive component producers, often in niche areas, are closely linked to German automotive supply chains.
In 2021, Switzerland had over 6.3 million registered vehicles, up 38% from 2000. About 2.1% of the working population in Switzerland is involved in the sale and after-sales services of cars in Switzerland. More than 90% of imported cars enter the market through agents that trade exclusively in a particular brand. Certain cars with limited demand, including some U.S. models, may only be available upon request from an importer or through individual importation. In 2021, the automakers with the highest market share of newly registered vehicles in Switzerland included Volkswagen (10.1%), Skoda (9.6%), BMW (8.5%), Mercedes (8.4%), and Audi (6.4%). A growing proportion of newly registered vehicles have four-wheel drive capability, popular given mountainous terrain and winter driving conditions. Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles are also growing strongly. In 2021, the Tesla Model 3s was the most sold vehicle in Switzerland. Of the 350,056 new vehicles for personal transport registered in 2021, 15.6% were conventional hybrid vehicles, representing 66.4% growth in sales, and 6.2% were plug-in hybrid vehicles, representing 50.9% growth in sales from 2020. Sales of purely electric vehicles were up 62.1% compared to 2019, representing 9.2% of new cars registered.
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 estimated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total Local Production1 |
649 |
659 |
677 |
712 |
|
Total Exports2 |
2,653 |
2,416 |
2,243 |
2,655 |
|
Total Imports2 |
14,024 |
14,503 |
13,624 |
14,331 |
|
Imports from the US2 |
838 |
1,106 |
972 |
791 |
|
Total Market Size |
12,020 |
12,746 |
12,058 |
12,388 |
|
Exchange Rates |
0.978 |
0.994 |
0.939 |
0.914 |
(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Units: $ millions
Source:
1 Swiss gross value-added automotive and parts production according to https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/volkswirtschaft/volkswirtschaftliche-gesamtrechnung/produktionskonto.assetdetail.18424416.html (retrieved on 6/23/2022). The growth rate for local production for 2021 was estimated at 5.2% in Swiss franc terms, in line with overall GDP growth for the year.
2 Imports and exports of motor vehicles and parts (HS Code 8702, 8703, 8704, 8706, 8707, 8708, 8711) as well as engines (8407, 8408), per the UN Comtrade database (retrieved on 6/23/2022).
Leading Sub-Sectors
All products and services aimed at suppliers of the automotive industry.
Opportunities
Opportunities for U.S. companies exist in the following areas: engines, exhaust, fuel and cooling systems, drivetrains and gearboxes, steering and chassis, brake systems and wheels, safety systems, and electronics.
Resources
- Swissmem (association of the Swiss mechanical and electrical engineering industries) provides a list of Swiss automotive suppliers: www.swissmem.ch
- Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO): www.astra.admin.ch
- Swiss Motor Trade Association: www.agvs.ch
- Geneva’s Annual International Motor show: www.gims.swiss