National demonstration programme for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids
A national demonstration programme for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids and the development of an electric recharge infrastructure should be established, including support for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids which should be increased in relation to other environmentally-friendly vehicles. This has been proposed by the Swedish Energy Agency in the overall knowledge base regarding the market for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids as reported to the government today.
The Swedish Energy Agency suggests a four-year period for economic support for demonstration in order to increase the number of electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids on the market. This is due to the fact that the increased cost for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids over the next few years is considerable and uncertain; that the expansion of the electric recharge infrastructure requires considerable development and standardisation and also that the Swedish automotive industry should be given the possibility of participating in the development of electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids.
“It would not just be the automotive industry that would benefit from a possible demonstration programme. Other parts of Swedish industry would also be given increased opportunities to participate in the development of important subcomponents,” says Director General Tomas Kåberger.
The demonstration programme is described in more detail in the report but it is proposed that it should be a four-year programme with government support of between SEK 250-500 million.
The environmental performance of electrical and rechargeable hybrid vehicles is just as good as it is for other so-called environmental vehicles (that run on ethanol and biogas). Despite this, the overall support for ethanol and biogas vehicles today is greater than for electrical and rechargeable hybrid vehicles. The Swedish Energy Agency suggests that support for electrical and rechargeable hybrid vehicles should be increased, and that a subsidy should be made available in connection with the purchase of the vehicle.
As a basis for both proposals, the knowledge base on the market for electrical vehicles and rechargeable hybrids has been produced through the collaborative efforts of the Swedish Energy Agency, the Energy Market Inspectorate, The Swedish Transport Commission and the Swedish Road Administration. The government commission has also been carried out in consultation with representatives of the automotive industry, electricity distributors, electricity producers, consumers, the Swedish Municipalities, the county councils and other relevant authorities.
