Features
21 jan 19

Jaguar I-Pace outsells all other cars in the Netherlands in December

Tax changes can have great effects on car sales. In Belgium, new fiscal deductability rules taking effect on January 1st 2018 prompted thousands of buyers to sign an order form for a (premium) plug-in hybrid in December. A similiar phenomenon has manifested itself in the Netherlands last month: Dutch company car drivers hurried to the showroom to get their hands on an expensive electric vehicle before the clock struck twelve on New Year's Eve.

Especially Jaguar capitalised on the imminent tax change: it sold over 2,600 I-Pace in December, making the electric crossover the best-selling model of that month - indeed, before steady-sellers like the VW Polo, Renault Clio and Kia Picanto. Also in demand was the Tesla Model S, of which over 1,500 units found a new owner in the last month of the year.

€50,000 cap for 4%-BIK rule

The reason for the rush to the showroom of premium EV brands is the fact that from January 1st onwards, the lowered 4 percent benefit-in-kind (BIK) rate for electric cars only applies to the first €50,000 of the new car-price, instead of the total price.

For a Jaguar I-Pace, which easily costs €100,000 euros in the Netherlands, a difference in registration date of two days (December 31st versus January 2nd) translates into several thousands of euros of extra taxes per year. 

 

 

 

Authored by: Dieter Quartier