The Portuguese Automobile Association (ACAP) revealed on Thursday that automobile production in Portugal grew by 11.8% in April compared to the same month in 2023, with 30,724 automobiles produced.
In a statement, ACAP disclosed that in the first four months of 2024, a total of 126,306 vehicles were produced in Portugal, which represents a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
“The statistical information for the first four months of 2024 confirms the importance of exports for the automotive sector, as 98.2% of vehicles manufactured in Portugal are destined for foreign markets, significantly contributing to the Portuguese trade balance,” the ACAP statement adds.
Furthermore, the number of vehicles exported increased by 6.9% from January to April compared to the same period last year. “This value is higher than the variation observed in automobile production during the same period (6.4%)”. Meanwhile, the domestic market saw a decline of 15.8% in the first four months of 2024 compared to the previous year.
Europe remains the most important market for exports of vehicles manufactured in Portugal, accounting for 81.8%, with Germany (24.8%), Italy (12.9%), the United Kingdom (9.9%), Spain (9.3%), and France (9.0%) at the top of the ranking.
In terms of major regions, the African market, led by Algeria (8.1%), retains the second position in exports of automobiles manufactured in Portugal, representing 10.7% of total exports.
Regarding the assembly of vehicles in Portugal, in April, 23 heavy vehicles were assembled.
In cumulative terms, in the first four months of the year, the assembly of heavy vehicles showed a growth of 119.6% compared to the same period of the previous year, representing 101 vehicles assembled in 2024.
From January to April, 53.5% of the vehicles assembled in Portugal were exported, representing 54 units. The United Kingdom (68.5%) and Germany (31.5%) are the only destinations for these exports.
