The number of electric cars in the Netherlands is increasing much faster than the number of public charging points. At the beginning of 2021, for example, there was an average of one charging point per 4,6 electric cars, while a charging point was shared by 2,2 cars two years earlier, and even by 1,1 cars four years earlier. Due to this imbalance, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people with an electric car to find easily accessible and available public charging stations. This and more is apparent from an analysis of Independent based on data from the RDW and the RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency).

Electric cars are popular in the Netherlands. Between early 2019 and early 2021, the number of electric cars increased from 44.984 to more than 182.481. Meanwhile, the amount of public charging points for electric cars does not seem to be able to keep up with this growth. In 2017, there was an average of 1,1 electric cars per public charging point, but in 2021 this number has more than quadrupled to 4,6 cars per charging point. At the beginning of 2020, a public charging point was available for an average of 3,9 electric cars.

People who cannot charge their electric car on their own property depend on public charging points. Because the number of charging points is growing much slower than the number of electric cars on the road, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to charge the car.

Biggest Progress 

The number of public charging points per household rose the most in Drenthe from January 2020 to January 2021. Where at the beginning of last year there were 'only' 0,65 charging points per 1.000 households, this number had increased to 2021 (+1,34%). Significant progress was also made for owners of electric cars in Groningen (+106%) and Overijssel (79%). Most public charging points per household can be found in the provinces of South and North Holland: both have 78 public charging points per 7,5 households.

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Big increase

The share of electric cars in the Netherlands has increased sharply in recent years. At the beginning of 2021, for example, there were 66,8% more electric cars on the road than a year earlier. In 2020, the increase compared to the previous year was even greater: then there was an increase of 134,6%. No surprise, according to Menno Dijcks, car insurance expert at Independer. “We see the same trend at Independer. The development in the share of insurance for electric cars has doubled in this (current) year compared to 2019,” says Dijcks.

Since July 2020, it has been possible for private individuals to be subsidized by the government for buying an electric car, through the subsidy Electric passenger cars privately (SEPP). This encourages citizens to opt for a more sustainable car that emits less. It is also becoming easier to insure electric cars. Menno Dijcks: “Nowadays you can go to most insurers, but the premium differences are still very large. It is therefore wise to first compare insurance policies before taking out.

Also read: More charging stations needed in parking garages in the Netherlands

People who cannot charge their electric car on their own property depend on public charging points.
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