Electric cars: lower-income countries fall behind, with uptake linked to GDP per capita

Brussels, 6 July 2021 – Strong national variations in EU sales of electric cars are clearly correlated to a country’s standard of living, according to new research by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).

Battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars made up 10.5% of all new cars sold in the EU last year. However, 10 member states still had a market share of lower than 3%.

The analysis demonstrates that consumer uptake of electric cars is directly linked to a country’s GDP per capita, indicating that affordability remains a major issue.

“As is the case with the distribution of charging infrastructure, there is a clear split in the affordability of electric cars between Central-Eastern Europe and Western Europe, as well as a pronounced North-South divide,” stated Eric-Mark Huitema, ACEA Director General.

Countries with a total electric car market share of less than 3% have an average GDP of below €17,000. This is the case for instance in Central and Eastern European countries as well as in Greece. What is more, the five countries with the lowest market uptake of electric cars also have very few charging points – under 1% of the EU total each.

On the other hand, a market share of more than 15% for electric cars is only found in richer countries in Northern Europe with an average GDP of over €46,000.

Almost three-quarters of all EU electric car sales are concentrated in four Western European countries with some of the highest GDPs (Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark). The remaining quarter of sales is spread across 23 member states.

As recent figures from the European Environment Agency show, the auto industry’s heavy investments in low-emission vehicles are paying off. With sales of electric cars trebling between 2019 and 2020, average CO2 emissions were down a record 12% last year.

Huitema: “To continue this progress on the road to zero, the European Commission must now urgently ensure that all the right conditions are in place – and that no countries or citizens are left behind. Zero-emissions vehicles must be affordable and convenient for everyone.”

Europe’s auto makers are therefore calling for appropriate incentives to stimulate sales of such vehicles in the long run, and binding infrastructure targets for each EU member state.

ACEA is publishing this data ahead of next week’s proposals for new EU-wide car CO2 targets and a review of the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive – both of which will form part of the European Commission’s ‘Fit for 55’ climate package.

Cyprus: 0.5% – €23,580
Lithuania: 1.1% – €17,460
Estonia: 1.8 % – €20,440
Croatia: 1.9% – €12,130
Poland: 1.9% – €13,600

Sweden: 32.2% – €45,610
Netherlands: 25.0% – €45,790
Finland: 18.1% – €42,940
Denmark: 16.4% – €53,470
Germany: 13.5% – €40,070

电动汽车:低收入国家落后，其使用量与人均GDP挂钩
2021年7月6日，布鲁塞尔——根据欧洲汽车制造商协会(ACEA)的新研究，欧盟国家电动汽车销量的巨大差异与一个国家的生活水平明显相关。去年，纯电动汽车和插电式混合动力汽车占欧盟所有新车销量的10.5%。然而，10个成员国的市场份额仍低于3%。
分析表明，消费者对电动汽车的消费与一个国家的人均GDP直接相关，这表明可承受性仍然是一个主要问题。ACEA总干事埃里克-马克·惠特马(Eric-Mark Huitema)表示:“就像充电基础设施的分布情况一样，中东欧和西欧在电动汽车的可承受性方面存在明显分歧，南北之间也存在明显分歧。”电动汽车市场份额低于3%的国家平均GDP低于1.7万欧元。中欧、东欧国家和希腊的情况就是如此。更重要的是，电动汽车市场占有率最低的五个国家的充电站也非常少，每个国家都不到欧盟总充电站的1%。另一方面，电动汽车的市场份额超过15%，只有在平均GDP超过46000欧元的北欧富裕国家才有。几乎四分之三的欧盟电动汽车销售集中在四个西欧国家(瑞典、荷兰、芬兰和丹麦)，这四个国家的gdp是最高的。其余四分之一的销售额分布在23个成员国。欧洲环境署(European Environment Agency)最近的数据显示，汽车行业在低排放汽车上的巨额投资正在获得回报。2019年至2020年间，电动汽车的销量增长了两倍，去年的二氧化碳平均排放量创纪录地下降了12%。Huitema:“为了继续在零排放的道路上取得进展，欧盟委员会现在必须紧急确保所有合适的条件都到位，不让任何国家或公民掉队。零排放汽车必须让每个人都负担得起，而且方便。”因此，欧洲汽车制造商呼吁采取适当的激励措施，从长远来看刺激这类汽车的销售，并为每个欧盟成员国制定具有约束力的基础设施目标。
ACEA公布这一数据是在下周欧盟范围内提出新的汽车二氧化碳目标和对替代燃料基础设施指令的审查之前，这两项指令都将成为欧盟委员会“适合55岁”气候一揽子计划的一部分。
前五名:电动汽车份额最低的国家+ GDP(2020年)
塞浦路斯:0.5% - 23,580欧元
立陶宛:1.1% - 17460欧元
爱沙尼亚:1.8% - 20440欧元
克罗地亚:1.9% - 12,130欧元
波兰:1.9% - 13600欧元
前五名:电动汽车份额最高的国家+ GDP(2020年)
瑞典:32.2%——45610欧元
荷兰:25.0% - 45790欧元
芬兰:18.1%——42940欧元
丹麦:16.4% - 53,470欧元
德国:13.5% - 40,070欧元