Exploring European Strategies for the Optimization of the Benefits and Cost-Effectiveness of Private Electric Mobility

Abstract

All over the world the e-mobility phenomenon is expanding, both on the supply and demand side. Leading global car manufacturers have introduced electric models at increasingly competitive prices and many people are interested in benefits and cost-effectiveness that the new technology could bring them. Even if from March to June 2020, due to the COVID-19 mobility restrictions, sales of electric cars have fallen below 2019 s levels, in the last few months the rate of sales recovered strongly. Governments of various countries, in compliance with EU directives, have introduced strict rules to reduce CO2 emission. For the same purpose, to increase the demand for private electric vehicles they are providing incentives and subsidies to encourage EV sales. The paper focuses on private electric vehicles total costs and investigates the European and United Kingdom tax benefits and purchase incentives. The aim is to understand how the demand growth is related with the policies of the European countries by analyzing existing data referred to all EU member states. Whether subsidies policies prove insufficient to achieve the set objectives, it will be appropriate to plan educational strategies to promote environmentally sustainable habits for citizens. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.