As the electric vehicle (EV) movement accelerates and we aim for net-zero emissions by 2050, it’s surprising that some European countries are lagging behind, and not providing adequate incentives and support for the industry and its consumers.
A recent ranking by Compare the Market revealed the top and bottom countries in the EU for E friendliness. Their index considered various factors, including the number of EV sales, availability of charging stations, electricity prices, government incentives, and timelines for banning the sale of fossil fuel vehicles.
According to their ranking, the top 3 EV-friendly countries are:
Norway
Often regarded as the EV capital of the world, Norway tops the list, scoring highly for its number of EV sales (in 2023, 82.38% of new cars sold were EVs). The country plans to become the first European country to prohibit the sale of new fuel cars, by 2025. In addition to this, fossil fuel cars incur higher taxes compared to EVs. In 2023, Norway boasted more than 3,000 public charging stations, and 7753 fast chargers.
France
France secures the second spot, scoring highly for its extensive network of charging stations (84,000+) and a significant uptick in sales – 24.4% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year. Its ratio of vehicles per public charging point stands at 8.8, surpassing the global average of 15.9. France further encourages the adoption of EVs through incentives for drivers and the installation of public charging points.
Netherlands
The Netherlands has a significant presence in the EV landscape, with the highest proportion of passenger EVs after Norway, Iceland and Sweden. As of October 2023, the country had 142,297 regular charging points and 5,043 fast charging points. By 2030, all new passenger vehicles sold must be zero-emission, while the government provides subsidies for the purchase of new or used EVs. Electricity prices in the Netherlands are higher than in Norway – 0.46 euros per kWh versus 0.11euros per kWh.
The lowest-ranking European countries according to Compare the Market’s index are:
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Portugal
- Austria
- Ireland
- Greece
- Italy
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
Note: All statistics are correct at time of publication, April 2024
Sources: Visit Norway, CompareTheMarket, Statista
