EVs cheaper than ICE in five European countries

Electric cars are already cheaper to own and run than internal combustion engine (ICE) alternatives in five European countries studied in new research.

The International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT) study considered the purchase, fuel and tax costs of Europe’s best-selling car, the Volkswagen Golf, in its battery electric, hybrid, petrol and diesel versions.

Over four years, the pure electric version was the cheapest in all places – the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands and Norway – owing to a combination of lower taxes, fuel costs and subsidies on the purchase price, The Guardian reports.

The study shows plug-in hybrid vehicles are often the most expensive to run over four years, partly due to the higher purchase of vehicles that, in effect, have two engines.

Tax breaks are a key method to drive the rollout of EVs and tackle climate change and air pollution, the report says.

Carbon emissions from transport are a big contributor to global warming. But such emissions have been rising in the European Union.

Electric cars offer the biggest savings over diesel in Norway (27%) as the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are exempt from a heavy registration tax.

The ICCT analysis was updated for The Guardian after recent cuts in the UK’s grants for EV purchases. It shows British drivers see the smallest saving – 5%. The savings in Germany, France and the Netherlands ranged from 11% to 15%.

ICCT researcher Sandra Wappelhorst says financial incentives for EVs won’t be needed when purchase prices fall to that of ICE cars, expected between 2025 and 2030.

Major cities across Europe are also introducing bans on ICE vehicles in central areas, helping push car manufacturers toward low-emission vehicles.

In 2018, sales of new EV in the UK rose by 21%, reaching a market share of 6%. In contrast, diesel car sales plummeted by 30%, though still a 32% market share.