In Europe, Norway, Sweden, and the Dutch regions are leading the way in electric car registrations, with high percentages of electric vehicles compared to total passenger vehicles. Norway, in particular, boasts the highest number of electric cars in Europe, with Oslo leading the continent with a density of 26.49%. The western Norwegian county of Vestland and neighbouring Trøndelag also have high percentages of electric vehicles at 22.08% and 18.86% respectively. Meanwhile, the Dutch provinces of Flevoland and Utrecht, as well as Sweden’s Stockholm, are among the top spots in the EU for electric car registrations.
Despite the high numbers of electric cars in certain regions, there are also areas in Europe with very low numbers of electric car registrations. Turkey has the highest number of areas with almost no electric car registrations, along with some Spanish overseas territories and Greek islands. This lack of electric cars in certain regions can be attributed to the insufficient number of EV charging stations. In mainland Europe, the lowest numbers of electric cars can be found in Serbia and Greece, emphasizing the disparities in electric car adoption across the continent.
When it comes to car ownership overall in Europe, EU citizens own an average of 0.56 passenger cars per inhabitant. The top three regions with the highest rates of car ownership are located in the mountainous northern part of Italy, with the Aosta Valley boasting nearly two and a half cars per resident. This high rate of car ownership in the Aosta Valley can be attributed to favourable taxation policies. On the other hand, the French overseas region of Mayotte has the lowest rate of car ownership in Europe, with only 83 passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants.
In addition to the data on electric car registrations and overall car ownership rates, several European capitals also rank among the areas with the lowest rates of cars per thousand inhabitants. Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, Brussels, and the Amsterdam region of North Holland all have relatively low rates of cars per thousand inhabitants. This highlights the variations in car ownership and electric vehicle adoption across different regions in Europe, influenced by factors such as taxation policies, infrastructure, and cultural norms. As electric cars continue to gain popularity, it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve in the coming years.
