Originally published on EnergyPost.
By Karel Beckman
Of all cars sold in the first three quarters of 2014 in the Netherlands, 4.3% were electric or hybrid cars. In the last quarter of 2013, the number was even higher: 15%. The main reason for these very high EV sales in the Netherlands is fiscal measures, says Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, who published the figures.
The Netherlands does not manufacture EVs. Roland Berger compared the Dutch sales figures to those of the major EV-producing countries: Germany, France, Italy, the US, Japan, China and South Korea. Of these countries, the highest percentage of electric and hybrid cars sold was in France, just under 1%, says Roland Berger.
The number of electric and hybrid cars sold in the last quarter of 2013 was 14,842. The best-selling car was the Mitsubishi Outlander, with 8,039 sales. Most EVs and hybrids sold in the Netherlands are made in Japan: the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf are also popular. Worldwide Japan and the United States are the biggest producers of EVs and hybrids: they are expected to produce 450,000 each, says Roland Berger. Japan is the world’s biggest car battery manufacturer with a share of 60%.
The Netherlands wants to have 200,000 EVs and hybrids on the road in 2020. Currently it has 70,000, almost 1% of the total.
After 1 January, the fiscal advantages for electric and hybrid cars were reduced in the Netherlands, which led to slower but still healthy sales. According to Roland Berger, the Dutch market is also attractive because “e-mobility” is promoted strongly by policymakers. The number of charging stations (plug-ins) has doubled since 2013.
Just last week, one of the leading providers of fast-charging stations for EVs in the Netherlands, Fastned, announced that it has received a €2 million subsidy from the EU to build 94 charging stations in Germany and the Netherlands. They will become part of a “corridor”of 155 locations in four countries. Fastned already has 18 fast charging stations operational along highways in the Netherlands and is adding one new station every week.
Reprinted with permission.
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