Although electric driving is on the rise, there are still things that keep many Dutch people from doing so. There are still concerns, especially about the charging network, and the limited supply also plays a role.
In the Netherlands, the charging network in particular is not yet seen as sufficient to switch to an electric car. This is evident from research by YouGov, carried out for e-mobility company CTEK. The survey, conducted among 15,174 Europeans, including 1,160 Dutch, reveals that 51 percent of the Dutch respondents consider the charging infrastructure in our country to be insufficient. That prevents the respondents from purchasing an electric car. 23 percent see the limited EV offer as the main reason for not purchasing EV. 31 percent are simply still satisfied with the current car. 16 percent still thinks EVs are too expensive.
The research shows that many people still see too few charging options in their immediate vicinity, or that their presence is not being publicized enough. It is striking that the confidence in sufficient charging options is considerably lower among older than among younger people. 27 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds think that the current charging infrastructure is sufficient. Confidence is much lower among the over-55s, only 9 percent think it is sufficient.
Once the switch to an electric car has been made, this generally turns out to be quite satisfactory. 79 percent of the Dutch EV drivers surveyed indicate that they want to buy an electric car again in the future. 46 percent of EV drivers indicate that the limited range is nevertheless one of the ‘bigger inconveniences’.
Expansion of the range is therefore another important point for improvement, which is being worked on in view of the plans of many car manufacturers. The improvement of the charging infrastructure will have to come partly from operators and partly from the people themselves. According to the study, EV owners prefer to charge the car at home (36 percent). This is followed by charging at work (22 percent). Only 17 percent prefer public charging points. 9 percent also like to charge the car at the charging station in parking garages.