Cleaner air, quieter streets. Visit Amsterdam and you’re bound to notice something’s changing in the city on the Amstel. Today, a rapidly growing number of electric vehicles are sweeping through its lively cityscape, cruising along the canals, passing by the iconic narrow houses: over the past few years Amsterdam has become a figurehead for the eMobility movement.
Yes, the Dutch value a high quality of life and have a higher than average regard for sustainability, which eMobility arguably pays into, but more likely than not, people are swapping out their traditional cars for greener mobility for a few other reasons as well.
Incentives and infrastructure
How about an extra 5,000 euros in your wallet (or bank account if you prefer)? That’s how much the city of Amsterdam is offering its citizens toward the purchase of an electric car. But there’s a force that likely carries more weight than this lucrative financial incentive. Amsterdammers are adopting eMobility at a quick pace because, unlike cities in neighbouring countries – Germany included – the city understands that you can’t bring electric cars to the masses without providing suitable charging infrastructure. The concept is nothing more than common sense: Would people today drive petrol-fuelled cars if they had to search high and low for a spot to fill up?
That’s why Amsterdam – with a population hovering around 1 million and a surface just shy of 220 square kilometres – is currently equipped with over 1,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles, in addition to another 1,000 or so private or semi-private ones. Every month an additional 25 public charging station are added, with a target of a whopping 4,000 stations by 2018!
The city’s aggressive efforts have led to the desired results. From 2013 to 2014 the number of kilometres driven by electric vehicles nearly doubled. (For more info, check out this interesting infographic and brochure on Amsterdam’s charging infrastructure).
And as if a lucrative financial incentive and excellent charging infrastructure were not enough, EV drivers in the city centre also move to the top of the waiting list for a parking spot.
Congrats, Amsterdam, on successfully, and quickly, making eMobility a realistic alternative to traditional cars!
What would motivate you to switch to eMobility, if you haven’t already?
