Plug-in hybrid most popular type of electric car

© Hollandse Hoogte
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the Volkswagen Golf PHEV and the Toyota Auris HEV were the most popular hybrid and full electric cars last year. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that early 2016 twice as many plug-in hybrids were registered in the Netherlands as in 2015.

More than 60 thousand new electric cars were sold in 2015, taking the total of electric cars in the Netherlands to 211 thousand on 1 January 2016, including import, export and scrapping.
Although the total number of electric cars has risen by one-third relative to one year previously, only one in forty cars registered in the Netherlands by early 2016 are fully or partly powered by electricity.

Number of plug-in hybrids rising rapidly

One in twenty electric cars use only electricity for propulsion. They are referred to as full electric vehicles (FEVs). The rest are ‘normal’ hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), i.e. cars powered by fossil fuel and electricity. PHEVs have rechargeable batteries.

The number of plug-in hybrids has risen most rapidly and had more than doubled on 1 January 2016 compared to 1 January 2015. The number of hybrids and full electric cars increased by 10 and 34 percent respectively over the same period.

Most popular car models

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was the best-selling plug-in hybrid in 2015 and the Toyota Auris was the most popular hybrid without plug-in option. The most popular FEV was the Tesla Model S.

Infographics displays the top 5 new electric cars for 2015. Mitsubishi Outlander (PHEV): 8,350; Volkswagen Golf (PHEV): 8,100; Toyota Auris (HEV): 7,050; Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron (PHEV): 4,350; Mercedes-Benz C 350 E (PHEV): 4,150. Source: Statistics Netherlands, RDW

Most hybrid cars combine petrol engine and electric propulsion

Most hybrids and plug-in hybrids combine a petrol engine with an electric motor. Nine in ten hybrids and eight in ten plug-in hybrids have a petrol-electric propulsion system. The rest are diesel hybrids. LPG engines are rarely combined with an electric motor.

Many company car drivers opt for electric cars

Company car drivers often use FEVs and PHEVs owned by (leasing) companies. Last year 60 thousand new electric cars were sold, of which one-third in December. Hybrids and electric vehicles were subject to a low additional tax rate in 2015. On 1 January 2016 the additional tax rate for hybrids and plug-in hybrids was raised.