While electric vehicle (EV) adoption is still gaining steam in the United States, the need for EVs has hit a fever pitch in Europe. In December of 2021, European dealerships delivered over 175,000 EVs across the continent, and in Denmark, half of all passenger vehicles in the country are battery-powered. Right now, in the United States, EV enthusiasts are wondering what has made the E.U. so successful with mass-market EV adoption, and what the U.S. can do to catch up.
Some have unfairly compared the speed of EV adoption in Europe to that of the relatively slow rate here in the United States. However, the truth is that strict government regulations, sky-high gas prices, and fewer concerns about range anxiety have made widespread EV adoption a simpler task abroad.
Across Europe, governments have driven their public policy to steer automakers and consumers away from ICE vehicles and towards battery-powered engines. The EV boom hit Europe after the E.U. adopted strict CO2 emission standards, and carbon taxes affecting passenger vehicles heavily discourage the production, importation, and purchase of ICE vehicles.
High prices at the pump have also disincentivized driving gas-powered vehicles in the E.U. and encouraged the switch to electric. While the U.S. produces a large portion of its own gas, high taxes on imported petroleum mean that the price of fuel in Europe is nearly double the cost of gas in the U.S.
Additionally, Europeans don’t have the same concerns about charging infrastructure and range anxiety as Americans. Countries in the E.U. have spent years funding projects, like ChargeUp Europe, to build a network of charging stations abroad, and when Europeans do drive, they simply have shorter commutes.
Meanwhile, dealerships here in the U.S. are working to help close the gap.
America's local dealers recognize that widespread EV adoption faces unique challenges in the United States and are ready to tackle these challenges head-on to catch up to our European counterparts.
That’s why, across the country, state and local governments are partnering with local dealers to educate and incentivize consumers to switch to electric. And it’s why dealerships are making major investments to build a network of charging stations and training their employees to service high-tech EVs so customers feel confident in their choice to go electric.
Right now, electrification in the U.S. hinges on the ability to make EV adoption as seamless as possible and ease consumer concerns. However, it’s clear that America’s network of local dealers aren’t setting up roadblocks to an electric future – they’re driving the EV revolution forward.
Comments