More individuals buying electric cars

More and more private individuals in the Netherlands are opting for an electric car, according to industry associations RAI Vereniging and BOVAG. Last year, 21 percent of electric vehicles in the country were in private hands, compared to 12 percent in 2019.

According to RAI and BOVAG, the increase in private ownership is due to the purchase subsidy the government implemented in July 2020 and more and more affordable electric cars being introduced. The price for an average fully electric car peaked at more than 79,000 euros in 2016. That dropped to an average of 51,000 euros last year. Consumer acceptance of electric driving is also increasing, they said.

The electric driving subsidy for private individuals became available again at the start of this year. As a result, private registration of electric cars rose to 56 percent in the first two months of 2022. By March 3, private individuals had already applied for over 40 million euros in subsidy, or about 12,000 new electric cars.

Private individuals and businesses registered a total of 6,741 new electric cars in the first two months of 2022. That is an increase of 183 percent compared to the 2,375 new electric vehicles registered in the same period last year.

"The transition to electric driving will help the Netherlands achieve its climate targets," BOVAG and RAI Vereniging said. They, therefore, urge the Cabinet to continue stimulating electric driving for business and private use and limiting the exports of these cars. "This will also create a healthy second-hand market in the Netherlands in the coming years, which will make electric driving affordable for even more private individuals and cut even more CO2 emissions."