A total of 446,114 new passenger cars were registered in the Netherlands in 2019. This is 0.6% more than in 2018.
This is according to figures from BOVAG, RAI Vereniging and RDC. The additional tax on electric vehicles for business drivers was raised from 4% to 8% for the first 45,000 euros of the list price as of 1 January. On the amount after this limit, 22% additional tax is paid, which is equal to the additional tax on fossil-fuel business cars.
Run on electric cars
Due to the increase in the additional tax rate, there was a run on electric cars in December. If the vehicle was registered before 1 January, an additional tax rate of 4% on the first 50,000 euros applies. The electric car most frequently registered in 2019 was the Tesla Model 3, of which 29,922 new units appeared on Dutch roads.
Exact figures by fuel type are not yet known. However, BOVAG and RAI Vereniging do report that more than 50,000 new electric cars were registered in 2019. For 2020, the industry organisations expect a slight contraction to a sales level of 425,000 passenger cars. At least 10% of these will be electric.
Lower figures in early 2020
This decrease is due to the increase in the additional tax rate from 1 January. Due to this increase, many electric cars were registered by the end of 2019. This is expected to translate into lower numbers in the first months of 2020.
Industry associations point out that next year many manufacturers will introduce several electric models. From 1 January 2021, the additional tax rate for electric cars will also be raised again, this time from 8% to 12%. This may trigger another run on electric cars at the end of 2020.
Volkswagen is the most registered brand
Looking at all car brands whose models were registered in the Netherlands in 2019, Volkswagen leads the way. A total of 47,452 Volkswagen were registered, giving manufacturer a market share of 10.6%. The top five look as follows:
- Volkswagen (47,452 units / 10.6% market share)
- Opel (32,324 units / 7.3% market share)
- Tesla (30,911 units / 6.9% market share)
- Peugeot (29,318 units / 6.6% market share)
- Toyota (27,128 units / 6.1% market share)
Tesla Model 3 is the most registered model
The most registered car model of 2019 was the Tesla Model 3, of which 29,922 were registered. This gives the model a market share of 6.7%. The top five look as follows:
- Tesla Model 3 (29,922 units / 6.7% market share)
- VW Polo (12,920 units / 2.9% market share)
- Ford Focus (10,478 units / 2.4% market share)
- VW Golf (9,263 units / 2.1% market share)
- Kia Niro (9,235 units / 2.1% market share)
Growth at European level too
The number of registered passenger cars is also growing at European level. Figures from the European trade association ACEA show that the number of passenger cars registered in November 2019 increased by 4.9% compared to the same period a year earlier.
This makes November the third consecutive month in which the market showed growth. For instance, the market grew 8.7% in October and 14.5% in September. In August 2019, the market still contracted by 8.4% compared to August 2018. Figures from ACEA for the whole of 2019 are not yet available at the time of writing.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
