Slowdown in Electric Car Sales: How Charging Costs are Affecting Europe’s Green Agenda

Sales of electric cars in several European countries have experienced a slowdown recently. In countries such as Sweden and Germany, sales have decreased by 15% and 10% respectively at the beginning of the year, according to Automotive News. Several factors have contributed to this decline, including recession, inflation, uncertainty, and an increase in the price of rechargeable electricity.

In Germany, the sales of electric cars surpassed 524,000 in 2023, but growth has slowed down this year due to several reasons. Firstly, the end of tax reliefs and purchase support has affected sales. Secondly, the cost of charging electric cars is also a factor affecting their use in Germany. According to research by Switcher, Germany is currently one of the most expensive countries in Europe to charge an electric car at home.

In Ireland, although more than 10,000 new electric cars were registered in 2023, sales have slowed down this year. The country offers purchase subsidies, tax breaks, and subsidies to encourage electric car purchases. However, it remains the second most expensive country in Europe to charge an electric car at home.

On the other hand, Belgium is expected to see continued growth in electric car sales in 2024 with an increase of up to 48% compared to last year. Consumers in Belgium are attracted by income tax deductions, subsidies, and reduced taxes for the installation of home charging stations. However, it remains the third most expensive European country to charge an electric car after Germany and Ireland.

In terms of charging costs across different European countries impact adoption and sales of electric cars regionally with Turkey being the cheapest country with home charging costing around 0.99 euros per 100 kilometers on average while Kosovo follows as the second cheapest at approximately euros per kilometer