A few years ago, the European Union adopted the concept of a "green" transition, within which EU countries must stop selling new cars with internal combustion engines by 2035.
The essence of the concept of "green" transition is that the continent should become climate neutral by 2050. That is, zero or almost zero greenhouse gas emissions. The "green" transition lays the foundations for action in nine areas: climate; energy; industrial strategy for circular economy; permanent and smart mobility; "green" agricultural policy; preservation of biodiversity; zero pollution.
The tasks in all spheres are ambitious. For example, by 2035, European Union countries must stop selling new cars with internal combustion engines, and greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector must be reduced by 90%. The countries of the bloc expect that by 2030 there will be at least 30 million electric cars on their roads, compared to the current 3 million.
Today, almost all automakers have a line of electric cars, and their market share is growing rapidly. Thus, in May 2024, fully electric models and hybrids accounted for 48,9% of all new passenger car registrations in the EU.
According to analysts' calculations, by the end of the year, or at the beginning of the next, in Norway, electric cars can overtake gasoline cars.
How EU countries encourage citizens to switch to electric cars
First of all, in order to popularize electric cars in society, it is important to provide charging infrastructure.
Common measures to support the spread of electric cars in EU countries are one-time subsidies, tax breaks for the purchase of such cars, as well as free access to certain road infrastructure - for example, toll roads or charging stations. Another popular way of encouraging the transition to electric cars is the cancellation of parking fees. Such advantages are offered in many cities of EU countries. For example, in Latvia, in addition to free parking, owners of electric cars can drive in public transport lanes, as well as enter the resort town of Jurmala for free (for driving a car with an internal combustion engine, you need to pay a few euros).
Spain also exempts electric car owners from toll fees on regional toll highways. Some municipalities France offer free two-hour parking for electric vehicles. Free parking, reserved parking spaces and permitted use of public transport lanes are also practiced in Germany That y Sweden. Also, in Germany, buyers of electric cars are given a discount of 3-4 thousand euros, and the vehicle itself is exempt from a number of taxes. The government Norway also offers its citizens a number of "bonuses" for the operation of electric cars: no VAT and sales and import tax; exemption from road and registration fees; free parking and recharging; use of bus lanes, as well as a 50% discount on ferry crossings.
У Denmark electric car drivers pay the minimum transport tax and receive a subsidy of 670 euros for parking per year.
Also in some countries of the European Union, for example, in Portugal, Spain and France, when buying an electric car, you can get a state subsidy in the amount of 5-7 thousand euros. And in Greece you can get a cashback of 15-20% of the cost of electric cars, the maximum cashback is 5,5 thousand - 6 thousand euros.
In general, the methods of encouraging citizens to switch to electric cars are quite standard for many countries. However, as practice has shown, such means are effective.
Popularization of electric cars in Ukraine
The Ukrainian car market is also constantly changing and adapting to new realities. Thus, during the fuel crisis in 2022, Ukrainians began to switch to electric cars more actively. The popularity of electric cars continues to grow. There are several reasons - the appearance of new models of electric cars that are more suitable for Ukrainian conditions, as well as the development of infrastructure for electric cars. Thus, since 2018, the so-called zero customs clearance for electric cars has been in effect in Ukraine. When importing a car from abroad, you do not need to pay customs duty and VAT, but only an excise tax - 1 euro per 1 A-hour of battery capacity.
Since 2019, drivers of electric vehicles have become legally protected in terms of access to charging stations. That is, if the driver of a car with an internal combustion engine parks in a specially designated place for electric cars, he will face a fine.
Also, a few years ago, Ukraine introduced green license plates for electric cars, as well as new road signs: "For electric cars", "Except for electric cars" and "Charging station for electric cars".
The infrastructure of electric car charging stations in Ukraine is also developing quite briskly. There are many electric filling stations in large cities, which allows you to use an electric car within the limits of a large city virtually without restrictions.
However, going out of town or moving between regions can still be a problem for electric car owners, as there is currently a lack of charging stations along the route. The same applies to small towns.
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