The Netherlands have passed a law which will ban non-electric cars starting in 2025. New car owners would have to buy electric cars while old cars with diesel or petrol-driven motors could still drive on the roads. The government plans to phase out these cars slowly. A majority of representatives in the lower house of parliament supported a motion to ban non-electric vehicles.
The Netherlands is already a country in which electric cars play a major role. They have a 10% share of the car market, second only to Norway where 22% of cars are electric. Last year, Dutch drivers bought 43,000 electric cars. However, most of the cars driven in the Netherlands are hybrid models. They would be banned by the new law. Now, the government wants to increase tax cuts for people who buy electric cars .
The Netherlands have been very innovative when it comes to green transportation. The country opened the first solar road, a bike path that produces energy from solar panels. In addition, the Dutch energy company wants to introduce a train that will be powered by wind energy.
Other cities and countries are also considering a ban of non-electric vehicles sometime in the future. One of the main questions, however, is whether the Netherlands can ban the use of a car that is legally allowed in another EU state.
Car companies are working hard on changing the negative image of electric cars. For many people they are slow, expensive and unsafe. Carmakers hope that shorter charging times and a better range will help achieve a breakthrough for electric vehicles.
