Dutch Politicians Call For Ban Of All New Gas & Diesel Cars By 2025
Originally published on EV Obsession.
In another sign of the accelerating transition toward electric vehicles in the automotive sector, a group of politicians in the Netherlands recently put forward a proposal to outright ban all new gasoline and diesel powered models starting in 2025.
In addition to the ban of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the proposal calls for substantial investments into autonomous driving technology — mostly as a means of dealing with the traffic congestion problems that certain regions of the country currently face.
The proposal was apparently put forward by the country’s labor party, the PvdA, and also, apparently, was already approved by a majority of Dutch parliament’s lower house, the Tweede Kamer.
If put into place legally, the proposal would result in the banning of anything with an ICE engine, including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). All new car sales would be required to be all-electrics (EVs) or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
Digital Trends provides more:
Investing in self-driving cars seems like a given, but the motion to ban the internal combustion engine once and for all has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Notably, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VDD) called PvdA’s motion “overambitious and unrealistic.” According to Henk Kamp, VDD’s minister of economic affairs, only about 15% of all new cars sold in the Netherlands in 2025 will be all-electric, and going beyond that point in such a short period of time will be difficult. Barbara Visser, one of VDD’s representatives in the Dutch parliament, was a little more blunt when she called the motion “the wishful thinking of a headless chicken.”
Interestingly, the motion has been criticized by PvdA members, too. Dutch newspaper De Volksrant reports that some party members complain that they weren’t told about it ahead of time and learned of its existence on the news, while others point out that banning gasoline and diesel-powered cars is a decision that risks alienating large groups of voters.
Jan Vos, PvdA’s representative in parliament, responded to the backlash by pointing out that the motion is simply a vision for an emissions-free future, and that it won’t become a reality in the immediate future. He stresses that the Dutch need to kick their addiction to fossil fuels, but few politicians in Holland expect that the motion to ban gasoline and diesel-powered cars will be passed into law.
Bold. If nothing else, such motions should at least get people thinking. With the recent unveiling of the Tesla Model 3, and the country’s fast-growing Fastned network of EV fast chargers, though, the Netherlands is actually quite well suited to a possible outright banning of new gas and diesel car sales. There are arguably not any other countries out there currently capable of making such a move and possibly succeeding. Maybe they really should give it a try?
Reprinted with permission.
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Awesome! I hope this is executed well. It could be the example to following if done correctly. *the people will need to continue to support it with their purchases.
I wish the states could ban anything with a diesel and gas in cities. I would walk to work more often if Boston’s main streets were not so smelly. I’m worried about heart disease since it runs in the family and it’s known that cars toxic fumes lead to not only increased heart diseas but also other medical conditions. (My Fitbit numbers would be amazing!)
“There are arguably not any other countries out there currently capable of making such a move and possibly succeeding”. There is a serious proposal – not a trial balloon – before the Norwegian Parliament (link) to do exactly this. Watch out for Singapore, an enlightened Confucian oligarchy without a car industry. They were first on congestion charges.
It is BTW muddled thinking on the part of the Dutch promoters to hope that evs, autonomous or not, will help traffic congestion. That needs pricing, bikes, and public transport..
Yes no other counties has an outright ban on ICE’s or is planning one, but Denmark if you but an ICE you pay a tax of 180 % on top of the price on it, but no tax on BEV’s. They, Denmark have an additional tax if what you drive is heavier than 2.000 kg (4.400 lb) of 95 %. Plus an extra annual tax for efficiency (most of Europe has similar tax, on displacement).
That would be the reason why most Europeans drive small cars.
To put that into perspective:
You but a $ 10.000 gas car, tax will be $ 18.000 for a total of $ 28.000.
You buy a $ 50.000 truck or SUV, tax $ 90.000, plus extra tax $ 47.500 – total $ 187.500.
How many people would buy trucks, SUV’s?
Incentives are good for standing up new tech, but at some point it needs to walk on it’s own. By 2025 this should be the case for EV’s. Adding prohibition or random penalties doesn’t strengthen the argument that clean EV’s are better period, and seems protectionist. Never mind that in a short decade EV production capacity will likely be short of the ability to replace all vehicles. Then what? You can only buy an EV but their high price is even higher due to shortages. I like the goal but the policy to implement needs work.
Since we are facing Global Warming, I think this this criticism is very unwarranted. It’s not like 2015 was not the hottest year on record, and sea levels are not rising. The effects are being felt worldwide. We need to leave all dirty fossil fuels in the ground. With their network of Fastned solar electric charging stations, they are well poised to transition to clean electric cars. The time is now to transition to 100% electric cars, and take all dirty gas cars off the road. This will provide us cleaner air, and free nations from importing so much dirty oil. Electric cars have so few parts that they are much cheaper to operate, and electricity is much cheaper than gas. People who live in apartments can have charging stations installed. Also solar electric velomobiles like the ELF, made by Organic Transit, can replace cars for most short trips in cities in Europe. We need visionary leaders who support openly our transition into electric cars and clean renewable energy, not leaders who find every excuse not to stop using dirty fossil fuels and pollute our planet.
really cool and bold move, just before the tesla model 3 come out. they party’s were not looking at the current models but were right at seeing that the ev’s are improving fast and well before 2025 they can be an alternative for dirty cars!
if the bill will make it or not so not so important. car companies see the future is for clean cars!