Abstract:

Electro-mobility offers an unequalled solution to make Europe’s transport more efficient and less polluting. But the market for electric vehicles (EVs - both battery and plug-in hybrids) has had several false dawns. Finally in 2015, sales of electric cars reached the important milestone of a 1% market share. Overall electric car sales doubled in 2015 to at least 144,000. The most recent data in 2016 suggests further growth in 2016. Sales year to date suggest significantly more than 200,000 plug-in vehicles will be sold in Europe this year taking the total number of EVs on the road to more than 500,000. Europe is the world’s second biggest market, aided by strong sales in Norway and the Netherlands. But there is no single market for electric cars in Europe, with virtually no sales or recharging infrastructure in most EU countries because policy and political support is lacking. This needs to change if Europe is to become a leader in electromobility and in particular compete with China.