Ten Facts About Sustainable Mobility in Europe

Did you know that there are countries in Europe with more environmental zones than Germany? Or that only one state in the EU has not introduced tax benefits for e-vehicles? The sustainable transformation of transportation is one of the main pillars of the European Green Deal, yet transnational companies still have to navigate a highly differentiated landscape of national regulations.

Supranational EU policies, national laws, and regional measures: A look at the regulations on sustainable mobility in the 27 EU member states, Switzerland, Norway, and the United Kingdom reveals a colorful patchwork. The Berlin-based consulting firm M3E has compiled ten exciting facts that illustrate this.

The ten facts

1. There are more cities with environmental zones and other entry restrictions for internal combustion engine vehicles in Italy than in Germany.
2. When purchasing a fully electric car in Norway, the first 500,000 NOK (approx. 43,000 Euros) of the purchase price is exempt from VAT (25%). For fully electric cars priced under 500,000 NOK, no VAT is charged.
3. Copenhagen and Amsterdam are the only European capitals that have set a goal to convert their public transport fleets to 100% zero-emission buses by 2025.
4. The central state administration of Spain is legally required to equip its parking lots with at least one charging station per 20 parking spaces.
5. Estonia is the only country in the EU where no tax benefits for electric vehicles apply.
6. The new decarbonization strategy of the current Polish government stipulates that Poland must register 1.46 million electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids by 2030.
7. The third smallest country in the EU, Cyprus, supports the acquisition of fully electric light commercial vehicles with 15,000 Euros per vehicle.
8. Anyone registering a car with CO₂ emissions of more than 194 g/km in France must pay a penalty of 60,000 Euros.
9. The EU Emissions Trading System will be extended to road transport in 2027.
10. The national climate agreement of the Netherlands requires that 50 hydrogen refueling stations must be established in the Benelux country by 2025.

“In the field of mobility, the European unification has not yet been fully achieved. Too many and too diverse regulations make it difficult for companies to respond flexibly to rapidly changing requirements. Reliable information and a secure factual basis are all the more important to act in a future-proof manner,” explains Dr. Christian Milan, founder and CEO of M3E.