Azerbaijan.US
Rising gasoline and diesel prices in Azerbaijan may affect the domestic car market, pushing up prices for compact and fuel-efficient vehicles, according to an automotive sales expert.
Automotive market analyst Eldaniz Jafarov believes that recent increases in fuel costs – particularly for Ai-92 gasoline and diesel – will steer buyers toward more fuel-efficient cars, boosting demand for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and other economy models.
“Changes in fuel prices will affect the car market,” Jafarov said. “This does not necessarily mean a sharp rise in vehicle prices across the board. Rather, demand will grow for more economical cars – hybrids, gas-powered and small-engine vehicles.”
Jafarov predicts that in the first months of the coming year, prices for low-fuel-consumption cars could rise by about 5-10%. In practical terms, he said, Chinese-made vehicles priced around AZN 27,000-28,000 ($15,000-$16,000) may see price increases of about AZN 2,500-3,000.
At the same time, Jafarov expects demand for larger-engine vehicles — those with engines exceeding 3.0 liters – to decrease, potentially leading to 5–10% price declines in that segment.
Local fuel prices changed on January 1, when the cost of a liter of Ai-92 gasoline rose from AZN 1.10 to AZN 1.15, and diesel from AZN 1.00 to AZN 1.10.
