EV Sales Plummet Overseas As Buyer Incentives Reduce

Once considered one of the world-leaders in the take-up of electric vehicles, Denmark’s sales of electric vehicles have slumped dramatically in the first quarter of 2017 as the government scales back EV incentives.
 
Despite being considered a ‘green’ populace, and with one of the highest rates of bicycle usage in Europe, the government’s decision to apply the same tariff to electric vehicles as already exists for internal combustion cars has proved disastrous to EV sales.
 
Yet while Denmark's EV sales have dwindled alarmingly, the rest of Europe has seen a 30 percent boost in EV and PHEV sales, with neighbouring Sweden seeing an encouraging 80 percent increase in the sale of electric and plug in hybrid vehicles.
 
The reason comes down to cost. Until recently electric cars were spared the 180 percent import levy that affects petrol and diesel cars in Denmark, with the Government citing budgetary constraints as the reason for scaling back EV incentives.
 
In a report by Bloomberg it appears the Danish government will now revisit its policy on electric vehicles incentives to try to stem the sales slide.

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