EV Charging Index 2025: Expert insights from the Netherlands

By Casper Veenman

In the Netherlands, 2024 was another strong year for e-mobility as the country maintained its position near the top of our EV Charging Index, ranking sixth of 33 nations. EV sales and charging infrastructure continued to grow, but there are several challenges to overcome as it enters a new phase of electrification.

EV sales growth slows but overall figures remain impressive

After a huge leap in 2023, EV sales rose more gradually in 2024, climbing 15%. This was enough to see the EV sales penetration rate rise from 44% to 49%, ensuring every second car sold during 2024 was an EV – double the European average. It's worth highlighting that in this metric, the Netherlands comfortably outperformed several nations that finished above it in the overall Index – such as the UK and USA – which is partly influenced by market size.

Public charging coverage is high, although much of it is slow

The number of (semi-)public EV charging points in the Netherlands increased by 27% compared with 2023, showing significant growth for both fast and regular chargers. However, the percentage of faster DC chargers remains very low at just 3% – well below the European average of 17% and a long way off the global average of 39%.

Conversely, the Netherlands’ ratio of EVs to public charging points remains one of the best, particularly among established markets, with five EVs for every public charging point. This is well ahead of the European average of 14 and global average of 11.

Financial and infrastructural challenges emerge

The Dutch e-mobility market will face several challenges over the next few years as it moves into a new phase.

1. Electricity grid congestion: Ever-growing demand for electricity is causing capacity constraints, especially for (ultra-)fast EV chargers.
2. Total cost of ownership: Only 51% of survey respondents in the Netherlands feel the cost of driving an EV is lower than that of an ICE car – below the European average of 59%. Meanwhile, just over a third (36%) feel that charging costs are higher than expected and should be lower. With battery electric vehicles (BEVs) no longer exempt from motor vehicle tax, and a gradual tax rise in place through 2029, cost of ownership will remain a decisive factor in Dutch EV adoption.
3. Decreasing subsidies: Tax incentives for EV leasing have been decreasing and will disappear completely as of 2026, while 2024 was the last year of subsidies for BEV purchases. Our study shows that tax advantages/subsidies have been a key reason to buy or lease an EV: 38% of Dutch EV drivers cited it, higher than both the European (31%) and global averages (32%). Although the removal of these incentives poses a challenge for the EV market, the introduction of a 12% pseudo final levy from 2027 on fuel-powered lease cars used privately, a tax the employer pays without passing the cost to the employee, creates a strong new incentive to switch to electric vehicles.

But prospects remain strong for continued e-mobility expansion

Overall, though, the conditions for EV adoption in the Netherlands remain good. Consumers have a growing range of choice across all price ranges, particularly in the lower price bracket, thanks to new models from Chinese and other OEMs. Among our survey of EV users, 87% said they were considering buying or leasing a BEV as their next car – above the European average of 84%.

Satisfaction with the overall charging experience is high in the Netherlands, with 93% of users reporting they were either quite or very satisfied. This was a significant increase on 2023 and above the European and global averages.

To further strengthen its leading position, the Netherlands should continue to invest in its charging infrastructure, particularly fast chargers. A focus on innovation will also be key: smart charging solutions and vehicle-to-grid technologies can help reduce grid congestion, while battery swapping is set to play an increasingly important role.

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