According to a recent study by the Dutch mobility organization Shuttel, people in the Netherlands cycle more frequently, charge their electric vehicles primarily at home, and travel in first class, particularly in winter. The study surveyed 250,000 employees at more than 100 organizations in the Netherlands.
As in the Netherlands, cycling in Belgium has evolved from an alternative mode of transport to a primary mode of commuting for short- and medium-distance travel. E-bikes are the key enabler in both countries, according to other studies.
Cycling is a permanent part of the commute
Bicycle use remained relatively stable in 2025, including in the first and last quarters, when adverse weather is typically prevalent. Cycling has become a permanent part of our commute, and no longer a ‘fair-weather solution’.
Many cycling kilometers were completed, particularly in and around the four major cities – Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. Most trips (90%) are done on personal bikes. Shared bikes proved particularly effective for short distances and the last mile.
Charging at home is most popular
The charging behavior of EV drivers also remained stable in 2025. The majority of charging sessions (75%) occurred during the week, with clear peaks upon arrival at the workplace and upon returning home – electric driving has clearly become part of our daily routine.
Charging at home is the norm: 60-70% of the surveyed group has a home charging station. In large cities, people are more likely to charge nearby.
2025 was apparently a busy year for rail transport, which immediately explains the 15% increase in first-class journeys – not so much due to the need for luxury, but rather to the need for peace and productivity during the trip to or from work.
In 2025, more people in the Netherlands returned to the office. The number of office workers increased every day of the week. Teleworking, which has become common since the coronavirus crisis, remains, but is less pronounced.
In 2025, Dutch employees spent about half a day more in the office per week, although 52% of workers still work from home at least sometimes – office attendance peaks on Tuesday and Thursday, intensifying congestion.
What about Belgium?
Cycling for commuting is structurally embedded in both countries; the Netherlands leads overall, and Belgium, especially Flanders, is catching up fast. In Flanders, 22% of commuting trips are made by bicycle; 11% by e-bike.
Nationally, the share of commuting by bicycle has increased by ~80% since 2005. Bicycle infrastructure investments – bike highways and so-called ‘fietsostrades’ (bicycle highways) – are accelerating uptake.
In Belgium, EV adoption is driven by company car purchases rather than private purchases. Approximately 87% of employers that provide electric company cars also provide home charging infrastructure. Reimbursement of home charging costs is now standard practice.
Home charging is clearly the backbone of electric mobility in both markets, though driven by user convenience in the Netherlands and employer policy in Belgium. Home charging is a non-negotiable condition for EV adoption. Without home charging, employees tend to prefer cycling or public transport.
Unlike in the Netherlands, first-class travel is less embedded in employer mobility policy and less culturally associated with productivity. The idea of ‘travel time = working time’ is spreading, but faster in the Netherlands.
Hybrid work remains popular, but people are returning to offices more often, increasing peak-hour pressure. In Belgium, about 33% of employees work from home occasionally or regularly.
Shuttel
According to Shuttel, the above trends will continue next year. For the Netherlands, the mobility specialist also expects that insight into mobility costs will become increasingly important for employers.
They seek to gain greater control over employee mobility expenses and make informed decisions about company cars, public transport allowances, and bicycle allowances.
Cycling remains popular among employees due to the rise of e-bikes and the increasing number of office workers. “That’s why it’s important that we make cycling more fiscally attractive, for both employers and employees,” Shuttel explains.
In Belgium, the focus is on the ongoing reform of company-car taxation. Experts expect a strong growth in cycling and rail combinations. The big difference between Belgium and the Netherlands is that Belgium is scaling and reforming rapidly, while the Netherlands is fine-tuning a mature system.
Shuttel, a joint venture between Pon and Volkswagen Financial Services, has been a leading provider of mobility services for more than ten years.
