The sales of electric cars in several European countries have slowed down due to various factors such as recession, inflation, uncertainty, and the rising price of rechargeable electricity. While some countries like Sweden and Germany have seen a decrease in sales at the beginning of the year, others like Belgium and France have managed to reverse this trend.
In Germany, although sales of electric cars crossed the 524,000 mark in 2023, growth is slowing down this year due to several reasons. Firstly, the end of tax reliefs and purchase support has affected sales. Secondly, the high charging prices for electric cars in Germany are also affecting their usage. On average, it costs around 7.06 euros to drive 100 kilometers with an electric car in Germany. This makes it one of the most expensive countries in Europe to charge an electric car at home. In comparison, Finland charges only around 2.20 to 3.80 euros for driving the same distance.
Ireland is another country that has experienced a slowdown in sales of electric cars despite over 10,000 new electric cars being registered in 2023. Purchase subsidies, tax breaks, and subsidies are encouraging the purchase of electric cars but still rank as the second most expensive country for charging an electric car at home with 100 kilometers costing around 6.66 euros on average.
However, there is hope for a reversal in this trend as Belgium expects sales of electric cars to continue growing in 2024 potentially increasing by up to 48 percent compared to last year. Consumers are attracted by income tax deductions and reduced taxes for home charging stations despite it still remaining one of the third most expensive European countries for charging an electric car with a cost of around 6
