The Chairman of the Jordanian Free Zones Investors Commission, MP Mohammad Al-Bustanji, announced a 40% decline in vehicle clearance activity from the Zarqa Free Zone during January 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
In a press statement, Al-Bustanji explained that the total number of vehicles cleared in the first month of this year reached 3,962, compared to 6,769 in January 2024. He noted that this decline affected all types of vehicles except for hybrid vehicles, which recorded an increase.
According to the data, electric vehicles experienced the most significant drop, with clearance decreasing by 60%. The number of electric vehicles cleared in January 2025 was 1,880, compared to 4,777 in the same month of 2024.
Diesel vehicle clearance also declined by 28%, reaching 403 vehicles compared to 560 in the same period last year. Meanwhile, gasoline vehicle clearance dropped by 11%, with 447 vehicles cleared compared to 505 in January 2024.
On the other hand, hybrid vehicles saw a 30% increase, reaching 1,232 vehicles compared to 927 in the previous year.
Conversely, re-export activity surged by 63%, with 6,375 vehicles re-exported in January 2025 compared to 3,911 during the same period in 2024, reflecting increased activity in foreign markets.
Al-Bustanji attributed the rise in re-exports to the expansion into new markets, most notably the Syrian market, which accounted for approximately 1,600 re-exported vehicles.
Regarding the overall decline in vehicle clearance, Al-Bustanji linked the drop, particularly in electric vehicle clearance, to a decision by the previous government to raise the tax to 400%. Meanwhile, the current government initially reduced the tax on electric vehicles by 50%, only to later impose a progressive tax on them. This prompted traders to accelerate the clearance of their stock before the end of last year.
He emphasized that the market is experiencing activity levels below the normal range in terms of buying and selling during the first month of the year. He also anticipated that this trend would continue in the coming months due to the recent tax changes and the slowing demand.