Nearly one in five Belgian households now report considering a switch to a fully electric car within the next two years, while almost a quarter already drive some form of electrified vehicle.
These are some of the figures BNP Paribas Fortis presents prominently in its latest mobility survey, released ahead of the opening of the Brussels Motor Show, and the press release claims that Belgian families are accelerating their transition to electric mobility.
The bank’s argument is not that electric cars have suddenly become the norm in private driveways, but that the willingness to adopt them is rising sharply.
Willingness to switch from 11 to 18%
According to a survey conducted among 1,000 Belgians in late November 2025, the share of households considering replacing a gasoline or diesel car with a fully electric model by the end of 2027 increased from 11 percent to 18 percent in one year.
At the same time, the proportion of households reporting that they already drive an electrified car – hybrid or fully electric– has risen from 16 percent to 23 percent. In BNP Paribas Fortis’ view, that combination of rising intent and growing exposure justifies characterizing the transition as accelerating rather than a slow, linear transition.
Prevailing negative narrative
That framing stands out because it contrasts with the prevailing narrative across much of Europe, where private buyers in countries such as Belgium, Germany, and France have often been described as sceptical, hesitant, or even increasingly negative about fully electric vehicles.
Over the past two years, multiple consumer studies have pointed to concerns about high purchase prices, uncertain resale values, charging anxiety, and shifting policy signals. In some cases, interest in internal combustion engine cars has even rebounded, particularly among households without access to company cars or home charging.
Car ownership itself remains deeply entrenched in Belgium, with 91 percent of households owning at least one vehicle. The survey underscores how resistant households remain to alternatives that challenge that model.
No interest in car sharing
No fewer than 86 percent of respondents report no interest in car sharing, confirming that shared mobility remains a niche solution confined mainly to younger urban users (18 to 35 years old).
At the same time, private lease is gaining traction as a compromise between ownership and flexibility. Almost one in four households expresses interest in an all-inclusive private lease formula, rising to well over a third among under-35s.
This suggests that while Belgians are reluctant to give up ‘having a car’, they are increasingly open to changing how they access and finance it. It shows a shift that could play a growing role in bringing electric cars within reach of private users who remain hesitant about full ownership.
However, despite the growing visibility of private leases, the survey makes clear that ownership remains the dominant preference among Belgian households. The main reason cited for hesitating about private lease is the desire to remain the owner of the vehicle, a factor mentioned by more than half of respondents.
For many families, owning a car remains associated with security, control, and long-term value, particularly amid technological uncertainty surrounding electrification.
Private leasing is therefore seen less as a replacement for ownership than as a transitional option, appealing mainly to younger households and those seeking cost predictability rather than a permanent shift away from car ownership.
Ambiguous label of ‘electrified’ cars
Nearly one in four households now report owning an ‘electrified’ car, while 9 percent report owning a fully electric vehicle, either privately or through work. That distinction is crucial in a country where company cars play a dominant role: many households experience electric driving through corporate or leasing vehicles long before they would consider buying one themselves.
The popularity of hybrids among private buyers further explains this apparent contradiction. In Belgium and neighbouring markets, hybrids continue to outsell fully electric cars in private registrations.
Many households choose so-called ‘self-charging’ hybrids or plug-in hybrids as a perceived low-risk compromise: lower fuel consumption and an electric label, without the need to adapt driving or charging habits fully.
This preference is reinforced by manufacturers’ marketing strategies, which increasingly group mild hybrids, full hybrids, and plug-in hybrids under the broad and sometimes ambiguous label of ‘electrified’ vehicles. While these models offer incremental efficiency gains, they remain fundamentally combustion-engine cars — a distinction that is not always clear to consumers.
What does appear to be changing, however, is perception. Charging infrastructure, long seen as a significant barrier, is losing its role as a deal-breaker. Half of Belgians now believe there are sufficient public charging points, while satisfaction rises sharply to 95% among those who already drive electric vehicles.
The second-hand market is more important
The survey also points to the growing importance of the second-hand market, with more than a quarter of households planning a switch within two years, saying they would consider buying a used electric car. That aligns with recent registration data showing rapid growth in second-hand EV transactions, although from a small base.
Policy uncertainty remains a key variable. The European Union’s decision to soften the rigidity of the 2035 ban on new combustion-engine cars by allowing limited exemptions and reopening discussions on technological neutrality could cut both ways.
For some households, it may reduce anxiety about being forced into an unwanted choice. For others, it could encourage further delay, especially if hybrids and other transitional technologies remain readily available and heavily promoted.
The BNP Paribas Fortis survey, therefore, captures a transitional moment rather than a turning point. Willingness among Belgian families to consider electric cars is clearly rising, but it remains fragile and highly dependent on price evolution, second-hand availability, and clear policy signals.
