Romania dropped six places in the fourth edition of the “EV Charging Index” study conducted by Roland Berger, to 25th place, with 39 points out of 100.
In the previous edition, held in the summer of 2022, our country ranked 19th, with a total of 40 points. Electric mobility has reached a record level, both internationally and in Romania, and the number of electric and hybrid vehicles is growing rapidly locally – their share in total new car sales reached 13% in 2022, close to the share recorded at a global level of 16%, according to Economedia.
“The favorable evolution on the local market was largely due to the Rabla Plus program – Romania currently offers some of the most generous incentives for the purchase of electric cars”, said Dragoș Fundulea, Principal, e-mobility expert, Roland Berger Romania.
The report also highlights an acceleration of the phenomenon of electric mobility at a global level: in 2022, the largest number of electric cars sold worldwide was recorded, despite fluctuations in energy prices in some markets. Norway had the best performance last year. The market share of electric and hybrid vehicles in total new vehicles was 87% in 2022, according to the study data. In second place was Sweden, where electric and hybrid vehicles reached a 60% market share. The podium is completed by the Netherlands and Germany, where the market share of these vehicles is close to 40%.
“The most electric and hybrid cars were sold in China, over 5.9 million in 2022. Chinese consumers can currently choose from more than 300 models of electric or hybrid vehicles, and their diversity is expected to increase further much in the next period. Looking ahead, it is estimated that in 2030 more than half of all cars sold globally will be electric or hybrid vehicles,” according to the analysis.
Accelerating the rate of expansion
The recent increase in sales of electric and hybrid cars has boosted the market for charging stations for these types of vehicles, according to the source cited.
Public charging networks have expanded rapidly in recent times, parallel to the implementation of (ultra) fast charging technology. According to the results of the Roland Berger study, the combination of the two has made charging electric vehicles at public charging stations much more convenient in 2022 than before.
“At the end of 2022, in Romania we had 13.7 vehicles per charging point, a marginally better ratio compared to the global average of 15.9. On the other hand, last year, the number of charging stations increased in Romania by only 5%, compared to 21% globally and 158% compared to the three most developed countries in terms of electromobility infrastructure”, notes Szabolcs Nemes , Managing Partner Roland Berger Romania.
Romania has committed, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), to triple the current number of charging stations by 2026. If the current trend of predominantly installing fast and ultra-fast charging stations continues, this will provide a major boost to the market local electric vehicles.
According to the Roland Berger study, in Romania, three-quarters of EV owners interviewed said they were satisfied with the overall charging experience, and 84% of them believe that charging at public stations has become easier in the last 6 months. These values are in line with the global average, but below the average of the most developed countries.
