The 500,000th electric passenger car was registered in Belgium this week, announced the federation for electric mobility, EV Belgium, on Tuesday. The figure is expected to exceed 600,000 before the end of the year.
The electrification of Belgium's vehicle fleet has accelerated at an unprecedented rate in recent years, driven in particular by tax measures that have made electric cars more attractive than diesel or petrol models as company cars since mid-2023.
While the 100,000 mark for fully electric cars was reached that year, the figure has since increased fivefold in the space of three years.
EV Belgium also points out that the purchase price is now "no longer a barrier", adding that "many models have recently become just as competitively priced as their polluting fossil fuel or hybrid counterparts."
"If we look at the total costs over the entire lifespan – including purchase, maintenance, taxes and consumption – the electric car has always been the most economical choice."
Another reason for the strong growth is the arrival of the first large waves of electric lease cars on the second-hand market. Finally, EV Belgium also notes that Belgium has made significant progress in terms of charging infrastructure, with 120,000 (semi-)public charging points now in place.
"Belgium has thus built one of the most comprehensive and reliable networks in Europe," it states.
