eKathimerini — Greece has one of the oldest vehicle fleets in the European Union in all categories – passenger cars, light trucks and busses.
According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) the average age of vehicles in Greece in 2015 was 13.5 years.
Data from the Hellenic Association of Motor Vehicle Importers-Representatives show that in 2017 the average age of the vehicle fleet increased to 15.4 years.
Concerning light trucks, the average age in Greece was 16.8 years in 2015, while the average age of trucks and buses was 18.7 years in 2015 – both the oldest in Europe.
This is significantly above the European average (10.7 years in 2015), while older fleets are only found in countries of the former Eastern Bloc such as Poland, with an average age of 17.2 years and Lithuania with 16.7 years.
This is mainly attributed to the economic crisis, as many owners of old vehicles are unable to replace them, but also due to the lack of incentives for the purchase of new cars and the complex taxation system that acts as a disincentive for consumers buying new cars.
The ageing vehicle fleet can have harmful effects on the environment, public health, and cost the consumes more in the long term, the two bodies say.
