According to EV Belgium, Belgium’s Electric Vehicle Association, current fossil fuel pump prices demonstrate, above all, that Belgium must look beyond temporary measures when oil prices rise. For EV Belgium, this trend confirms that the transition to electric mobility is no longer merely a climate issue, but also, increasingly, a matter of purchasing power, energy policy, and geopolitical independence.

During the presentation of its new 2030 Charter, the sector federation said a fleet of two million electric vehicles by 2030 is becoming increasingly realistic and represents an achievable vision for the future if the right political choices are made today.

New charter

The Charter, which was signed on Friday by members of EV Belgium at Thor Park, Genk, sets out three priorities in this regard: first, an ambitious roadmap towards 2035 for all vehicle segments, including the rapid implementation of RED III; secondly, a consistently continuing tax shift from electricity to fossil fuels; and thirdly, support for the private EV market through private leasing and a strong second-hand market.

EV Belgium welcomes the tax shift already underway, in which the price gap between fossil fuels and electricity is narrowing, but explicitly describes it in the Charter as “a first step, not an end in itself.”

“We must dare to ask the fundamental question: how long do we want to keep our transport system dependent on an energy source over which Belgium has no control, either in terms of production or international pricing?” asks Philippe Vangeel, director of EV Belgium.

The Charter sets out a vision of two million electric vehicles by 2030 as its central goal, linked to a doubling of the public charging infrastructure, a smart and flexible electricity grid, and electric mobility that remains the cheapest option for the public. EV Belgium is not calling for a return to general purchase subsidies, but rather for a predictable framework in which electric driving becomes structurally attractive.

Less vulnerable

EV Belgium is calling for the implementation of RED III by 2027, so that private EV drivers can also share in the economic value of renewable electricity. The signatories to the Charter therefore explicitly refer to electric mobility as a tool for strategic autonomy: the faster the transition to electrification, the less vulnerable households and businesses will remain to geopolitical shocks in the oil and gas markets.

“Electric mobility is not just about climate policy. It is also about purchasing power, energy policy and geopolitics. Every kilometer we can travel using Belgian and European electricity instead of imported oil reduces that dependence,” emphasizes Vangeel.

Impressive savings

A Belgian passenger car travels an average of 14,172 kilometers per year (according to Car-Pass). Based on this,
EV Belgium calculated the indicative annual energy cost for a fossil-fuel car compared with an electric car.

An EV driver can easily save €925 a year, says EV Belgium; the exact saving varies depending on the vehicle,
consumption and charging behavior, but the order of magnitude is clear. Applied to a Belgian fleet of two million electric passenger cars in 2030, this amounts to approximately €1.8 billion per year in avoided petrol and diesel costs.

Belgium owes its strong position in the EV market today primarily to company cars: around 89% of newly registered EVs are company cars. For a structural shift to take place, the private market must now follow suit. According to EV Belgium, analyses show that the purchase price of EVs is no longer a barrier, as new vehicles in almost all segments cost the same, whether they are electric or run on fossil fuels.

For vans and heavy goods vehicles, annual fossil fuel consumption is considerably higher, and so too
is their exposure to high diesel prices; this is precisely where Belgium still has a significant gap to close, EV Belgium points out.

Vangeel consequently asks: “Who is paying the bill today for the Belgian transport sector, where vehicles sometimes cover more than 100,000 kilometers a year? That’s the next exercise we’ll be undertaking.”

Revamped identity

With the launch of the Charter, EV Belgium is also introducing its revamped visual identity, “a symbol of the very transition that the Belgian EV market is currently undergoing: from a pioneering market focused on rapid roll-out to a mature ecosystem in which quality, affordability and user confidence take center stage.”

The Charter describes this as the transition “from roll-out to maturity”: no longer simply about having as many electric vehicles and charging points as possible, but about providing the right range of options, in the right places, at transparent prices and with a reliable user experience.

“Given the actual energy prices, we strongly believe that having two million electric vehicles by 2030 is more realistic than ever. The technology is in place, the charging network is expanding, and the economic case for motorists is becoming increasingly compelling,” Philippe Vangeel concludes.