Despite the support offered by the state for the purchase of electric cars, they still cost significantly more in Estonia than traditional internal combustion engine cars, writes ERR News.
Given the current economic situation, the support does little to encourage switching to a more environmentally friendly car. Maris Salin, project manager of the Environmental Investment Center (KIK), told ERR that the support is several times larger than initially. It’s 7.75 million euros, part of which is intended for private individuals.
In the first five months of 2023, 300 people used the state support program to buy a new electric car.
However, the budget is far from being used. Meelis Telliskivi, head of the Association of Car Sales and Service Companies (AMTEL), said that families’ budgets are affected by various factors at the moment. While support can be helpful, it is certainly not decisive for immediate purchase.
Currently, about 6% of the vehicles on Estonian roads are electric cars.
Journalist Tõnu Ojala pointed out that the proportion is not higher partly also because support is given only for the purchase of new, not used, electric cars.
Maris Arro, the advisor to the newly created Climate Ministry, informed that there are currently no plans to change the conditions for the purchase of electric cars. She said: “If we’re talking about new cars, the prices of electric cars and those which use an internal combustion engine are currently reaching parity,
but not in a direction where electric cars are getting cheaper; in fact, cars with an internal combustion engine are getting pricier.”
Car expert Arno Sillat stated that a new electric car costs an average of 70 thousand euros last year. This year, the best-selling electric car is Tesla, whose prices start at 40,000 euros. Salina said that people mostly want an electric car for 40 to 50 thousand euros, which means that the cheapest models are chosen.
Telliskivi said that the 4,000 euro subsidy offered by the government does not have a noticeable effect on the market, and those who buy new electric cars would do so even if the support was not available. Support, unlike the previous time, is paid after the purchase, not before.
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