Czech Republic has the EU’s second-lowest share of electric car registrations, with only Croatia lower

Czechia has the EU’s second-lowest share of new passenger battery electric car registrations. While battery electric cars accounted for 12 percent of registrations across the EU in the first four months of this year, the figure was 2.5 percent in Czechia. Only Croatia ranked lower, while Slovakia was ahead of Czechia with a 2.7 percent share. The figures come from data compiled and summarised in a press release by Lukáš Kadula of the Centre for Transport Research.

From January to the end of April, users in EU countries registered 442.000 new passenger battery electric cars, a year-on-year increase of 6.4 percent. Growth in Czechia was similar, at 5.5 percent. A total of 1893 new battery electric cars took to Czech roads in the first third of the year. Overall, the Czech market for new passenger cars ranks tenth in the EU by size.

Czechia has long remained near the bottom of the electric passenger car market. „There are many reasons for this. One of them is undoubtedly the continued popularity of diesel models, which puts Czechia second among EU countries by share this year, just behind Ireland in first place. The Škoda Octavia has long been the most popular model in Czechia. This year, its diesel version has recorded 4498 registrations, making it the most registered model and powertrain in Czechia. For every registered electric Škoda Enyaq this year, there have been almost 15 diesel Octavias. It will be interesting to see whether, and if so how, this ratio changes with the more affordable Enyaq Tour, which Škoda is newly offering for 899.000 koruna. For this or similar prices, buyers in Czechia can currently purchase, for example, a Hyundai Kona, MG4, Volvo EX30, Volkswagen ID.3 or Renault Megane,“ Kadula said.

306 new Enyaqs were sold in the first four months of this year, making it the best-selling electric model. However, Tesla was the most popular brand, with 507 registrations. Hyundai came third, with 177.

There are currently almost 709.000 public charging points in EU countries, while the number in Czechia has exceeded 5000, Kadula said, citing figures from the Clean Transport website. Their distribution, however, is extremely uneven. Almost 60 percent are located in just three countries: the Netherlands, Germany and France. Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Austria—countries comparable to Czechia in population—also have many times more charging points. Only 305 charging points in Czechia offer very fast charging.

Battery electric cars are the fourth most popular powertrain in the European market, behind petrol cars at 36 percent, hybrids that cannot be externally charged at 29 percent, and diesel cars at 13 percent.