Features
9 May 23

Europe’s roadmap to sustainability 

The plans of Europe’s fleets to electrify their vehicles are caught up in a classic Catch-22 scenario.

Electrification is only possible if the charging infrastructure is in place, but charging companies are only installing the infrastructure when they are confident that there are sufficient EVs to give them a return on their investment.

Data from ACEA reveals that the number of electrically-chargeable cars has seen a 17-fold increase since 2016, while the number of public charge points has risen by only a factor of six.

Naturally, the ratio of charge points to EVs does not have to be one-to-one, but public charging infrastructure does need to keep pace with the increasing volumes of EVs on Europe’s roads, especially with local and national governments planning bans on the sale of cars and vans with internal combustion engines, as well as introducing access restrictions for ICE vehicles.

EV incentives

There are also major national incentives to support the uptake of battery electric vehicles, in the form of purchase tax exemptions (Norway), generous grants and subsidies (France and Germany), and massive company car tax benefits (UK).

These initiatives have all helped early adopters transition to EVs, with fleets in the vanguard of pioneering plug-in motoring.

But mass market EV adoption will require a comprehensive, continent-wide recharging network to serve drivers undertaking journeys longer than the battery range of their vehicles and to support drivers who do not have access to home or workplace charging.

Charging priorities

It is interesting how a deeper dive into the data reveals the focus on rapid and ultra-rapid charging, with shorter times to top up EV batteries considered by policymakers to be essential to support zero emission motoring. Recent research in the UK suggests convenience, not speed, is the highest charging priority for drivers.

From a fleet perspective, a deeper dive into the data also reveals wide divides in the maturity of national charging networks, as well as region to region within countries. Major cities and busy motorways are accounting for the lion’s share of new rapid charging stations, while many quieter and rural regions appear to be underserved.

This highlights the importance of exploring in granular detail the charging requirements of each vehicle within a fleet before switching from an ICE model to a BEV.

France

  • EVs & PHEVs: 1,102,975
  • EV & PHEV target 2025: 2 million
  • EV & PHEV target 2030: 6 million
  • Phase out of ICE vehicles: 2035
  • Public charge points (February 2023): 85,284
  • Public charge points needed by 2025: 175,000 to 215,000
  • Charge points needed by 2030: 330,000 to 480,000
  • Fleet pressures: 70% of new fleet vehicle acquisitions will have to be ultra-low emission in 2030.

Germany

  • EVs & PHEVs: 1,500,000
  • EV & PHEV target 2025: 5.2million PHEV, 3.1million EV (forecast)
  • EV & PHEV target 2030: 15 million
  • Phase out of ICE vehicles: 2035
  • Public charge points (December 2022): 76,561
  • Public charge points needed by 2025: 350,000 (if EV forecast is accurate)
  • Charge points needed by 2030: 520,000


UK

  • EVs & PHEVs: 1,135,000
  • EV target 2025: 28% of new sales
  • EV target 2030: 80% of new sales
  • Phase out of ICE vehicles: 2030
  • Phase out of PHEVs: 2035
  • Public charge points (February 2022): 63,984
  • Charge points needed by 2030: 300,000


Italy

  • EVs (Jan 2023): 170,428
  • EV target 2026: 1 million
  • EV target 2030: 4 million
  • Phase out of ICE vehicles: 2035
  • Public charge points (February 2022): 36,772
  • Charge points needed by 2030: 110,000


Norway

  • EVs: 590,000
  • EV sales penetration 2022: 79.4%
  • Phase out of ICE vehicles: 2025
  • Public charge points: 3,200

 

OEM EV plans in Europe

Audi

All new models launched from 2026 will be battery electric, and the manufacturer will be 100% electric from 2030.

BMW

The BMW Group plans for electrified cars (EV and PHEV) to account for 30% of its sales in 2025, and all-electric cars to represent 50% of sales from 2030.

Ford

Ford’s passenger cars will be 100% electric by 2030, and it expects two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales to be electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030.

Hyundai Group

Kia and Hyundai aim to be 100% battery electric in Europe by 2035.

Renault

Renault has the ambition to have the greenest mix of new cars on the European market by 2025, with more than 65% of sales being electrified, and 100% fully electric by 2030.

Stellantis

The Stellantis brands of Peugeot, Fiat, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, DS, Lancia and Alfa Romeo) have set a target of 100% sales in Europe to be battery electric by 2030.

Tesla

The pioneering EV brand is already 100% electric.

Toyota and Lexus

The manufacturer has committed to a 100% CO2 reduction from all new vehicles in Europe, leaving the door open to electric and hydrogen.

Volkswagen

VW is aiming for 70% of its sales in Europe to be battery electric by 2030.

Volvo

Half of Volvo Cars’ sales volume will be fully electric by 2025, and 100% by 2030.

 

Leasing company commitments

ALD

EVs (both battery electric and PHEV) accounted for 22% of new leases in 2022, and represent 35% of ALD’s order book.

LeasePlan

Prior to its takeover by ALD, LeasePlan was aiming for net zero tailpipe emissions from its funded fleet by 2030 – 32% of its deliveries are now EV or PHEV.

Athlon

Athlon aims to grow its fleet’s share of electric cars and vans to 50% by 2025 and, practising what it preaches, to have a 100% electric employee fleet by 2025.

Arval

The international leasing giant has set itself the target of financing 700,000 electrified vehicles (EV, PHEV and hydrogen) by 2025, and planting a tree for each EV it leases.


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Authored by: Jonathan Manning
New Energies
Europe