Mobility•31 Dec ’23 10:30 Author: Jorn Lucas
It was gnashing of teeth at Dutch gas stations, where the price of a liter of petrol or diesel could rise to a record high in 2023. This is less of a problem for owners of an electric car, but other problems arise for EVs that may be of a sustainable nature.
BNR lists the most important economic news of this year for you, so that you are fully informed.
While at the end of September the average price for a liter of Euro 95 still peaked at 2.30 euros, the recommended retail price is currently ‘only’ more than 2 euros. The petrol price in the Netherlands is heading for a price increase of around 6 percent this year, a somewhat distorted picture, because in September a liter of Euro 95 was still 19 percent more expensive than on the last day of 2022.
Also read | Gasoline prices fall sharply, while oil prices rise again
In fact, a further increase in excise duties was planned for January 1. An inflation correction would be added on top of this, which would make a liter of gasoline 21 cents more expensive in total. A parliamentary majority ensured that the tax increase did not go through. Very unwise, thinks Professor of Economics and Public Finance Bas Jacobs of the Vrije Universiteit.
“The government sees this as a new cash cow.”
Noud Broekhof, BNR
Also read | ‘Reducing excise duties on fuel is a very unwise idea’
Cost increases are also in store for owners of vintage cars and campers. There is now an exemption if the car is older than 40 years. However, the outgoing cabinet has decided that from 2028 the exemption will only apply to vintage cars from before 1988. All cars produced after that year will from now on also have to pay motor vehicle tax (MRB). “The government sees this as a new cash cow,” says mobility editor Noud Broekhof.
Also read | Costs of vintage cars and campers are rising significantly due to a new measure
The question remains whether the electric car will also receive that stamp. But now that the MRB is also looming for the electric car, these drivers will also have to pay motor vehicle tax from 2025, which will cause interest in this car, which generally ends up on the road mainly via a lease construction, to plummet. The purchase price is too high for the consumer, but if you are still interested, we would like to refer you here. Due to declining demand and growing supply, lease prices are plummeting, a kind of perfect storm in the opposite direction.
Also read | Lease fleet full of electric cars, Allianz predicts disaster
The growing supply now increasingly comes from China. According to credit insurer Allianz Trade, this could cause a major blow to the European car industry and therefore to the entire European economy. Currently, four out of five cars sold in Europe are also assembled here. But that will largely disappear if Chinese cars can easily continue to enter the European market with state support.
‘A perfect storm in the opposite direction’
It is not the only problem for the electric car. A known disadvantage of these cars came to light when a fire broke out on the freighter Fremantle Highway, just north of Terschelling, at the end of July. Of the thousands of cars on board, the majority appeared to consist of highly flammable electric cars. The blame for the fire was quickly placed on the many EVs, which was unjustified as it turned out. Anyway, it turned out to be a case of seeing through the eye of the needle.
Also read | ‘ViaPlay gambled and lost’
Things are now also over for ViaPlay. The Swedish streaming service ViaPlay has gone into freefall, its CEO has been fired and its market value has all but evaporated on the stock exchange. The company gambled and lost, and the question is whether they can keep the Formula 1 rights in the Netherlands that they bought for a lot of money. It is not yet a zombie company; ViaPlay says it will mainly focus on the home market.
Also read | ‘VanMoof was a zombie company’
However, the electric bicycle manufacturer VanMoof turned out to be a company that should not have a long life. A huge mountain of debt and problems in dealing with the many technical problems of the bicycle ultimately destroyed the company of the Carlier brothers in Amsterdam. Also gambled and lost, despite the restart under the wings of the British E-scooter manufacturer Lavoie.
2024-01-01 01:12:34
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