Electric cars still too expensive for most Dutch

Despite efforts by the Dutch government to promote electric driving, the Dutch public still makes little use of electric transport, according to the ANWB's annual Electric Driving Monitor. Most still find electric cars too expensive, NOS reports.

While 37 percent of Dutch are interested in switching to an electric car, most do not have the budget for it. They find the price of at least 20 thousand euros for an electric car too high. According to the ANWB, people are willing to spend around 10 thousand euros on such a car. But electric cars are often over 10 thousand euros more expensive than a comparable fuel car.

The Dutch are also uncertain whether there are enough charging points along the road, and whether the electric cars' battery life is long enough. According to the ANWB, more charging spots were built this year and the range of a car with a full battery also became somewhat larger, increasing from 221 to 270 kilometers for an electric car with a price tag of less than 50 thousand euros.

The government is currently working on a new policy to achieve zero-emission mobility. Many car manufacturers are responding to this and are working on innovations in that area, according to NOS. Still, the proportion of Dutch consumers who want to buy an electric car within two years increased only very slightly - from 3 percent in 2017 to 4 percent this year.