Buying or Leasing an EV in NL: Netherlands Electric Cars & Govt Subsidies Explained 2022

The Netherlands is a great place to buy or lease an EV (electric vehicle) in 2022. One reason for this is the generous subsidy scheme. The government will issue subsidies of €91.4 million to those purchasing or leasing electric cars in 2022.

Update 14th Jan 2022: 30% of the subsidy allowances have been claimed already.

Electric car subsidies in the Netherlands

Subsidy amounts depend on what you are buying / leasing:

• New electric car: €3350.
• Used car: €2000.

Subsidies can be used by private individuals (not businesses) when leasing or buying electric vehicles.

Hybrids are not eligible, only 100% EVs.

To apply for subsidy go here (in Dutch so will require Chrome or another browser that allows you to translate).

To compare lease deals now you can use our lease comparison tool. To see a range of options (lease, purchase, used and new) for electric cars you can check out Auto.nl. Alternatively see recommended lease companies on the leasing guide.

Conditions for a subsidy on an electric car

• The car is fully electric (so no plug-in hybrid)
• The car was purchased by a private individual.
• The car was purchased in the year in which the subsidy is requested. There must also be a subsidy budget available, because gone = gone. 
• The subsidy application must be submitted within sixty days of the date of signature of the purchase or lease contract.
• The car has been registered in the applicant’s name for at least three consecutive years. For private lease this is four years.
• The list price of the electric car is a minimum of €12,000 and a maximum of €45,000. The range is also at least 120 kilometers.
• A used electric car was purchased from a car dealership (not a private individual)
• You may need a Dutch phone number

Other Important Terms

The purchase or lease agreement must be concluded in the year in which the subsidy is requested and as long as a subsidy budget is available. The application must also be submitted within sixty days of the conclusion of the purchase or lease agreement.

When purchasing a new or used EV, the car must be registered in the name of the applicant for at least three consecutive years, with a lease at least four years. If the car is sold earlier or the lease contract is terminated earlier, the subsidy must be repaid pro rata. If you buy or lease another electric car within this period that would qualify for a purchase subsidy and if you continue to own it for the rest of the period, an exception applies.

Is an electric car worth it in 2022?

Electric cars are obviously “worth it” if they help to prevent catastrophic climate change.

But in terms of your finances, there are still questions surrounding whether you lease or purchase an EV: Can you really afford it? Is it a good long-term investment? Electric vehicles are much more expensive to buy than their petrol and diesel counterparts, but the costs of running an electric car are lower.

Is leasing an electric vehicle worth it?

Leasing an electric car is an attractive option compared to financing a purchase of a new EV. It’s also not much more expensive than leasing a new petrol or diesel vehicle. According to LeasePlan the total cost of ownership for electric cars in 2021 was lower than a petrol equivalent in the Netherlands. Read our leasing guide to find the best car lease companies in NL.

Watch out for delivery delays!

The downsides of leasing an electric car are that there may be delays in getting your car to you due to supply chain issues (at time of writing – March 2022). Speak to your dealer about this. On Auto.nl you can chat to a customer service person via their website or over the phone and they’re happy to do so in English. They also list delivery times for each car on the website – for EVs this seems to be 2 – 4 weeks. Some cars can take 24 weeks to arrive (Nissan Leaf, via ANWB, March 2022) so check this before you arrange a lease. If your car is very delayed you can cancel the lease due to breach of contract.

Is buying an EV worth it?

Costs of purchasing an electric car are much higher than alternatives. It is unlikely you will make this up with the lower costs of ownership. So financially purchasing a new electric car is objectively more expensive than a petrol car. For example a new VW Golf retails at €31,000 while the similar spec but electric Volkswagen id3 will cost you over €41,000.

Petrol and energy price hikes and volatility

With energy prices creeping (or soaring) upwards, you may wonder if costs of running an EV will remain attractive for consumers. On the other hand, petrol prices are also rising and increasingly volatile due to upheaval in global supply chain, so the question becomes which form of energy will increase the most at the fastest rate?

If you’re weighing up electric vs alternatives, Auto.nl stocks electric, hybrid, diesel and petrol vehicles for purchase or lease so you can compare a range of options easily with them.

Where to buy EVs in The Netherlands

The best way may be to Google your local area for dealerships. But there are also online stores that will deliver a car direct to you such as Auto.nl (offers both lease and purchase).

Websites for buying electric cars:

Auto.nl – Recommended

You can compare a range of options at Auto.nl. Buy (“kopen”), lease, new and used cars. Get your car delivered to your door within 5 days. 14 day trial period to return the car if you are not satisfied. Many SEPP eligible vehicles. Rated 9.4/10 by customers on independent site Klantervellen.

Bynco – Second-hand car buying site. English-language site available.

Marktplaats – Good for used EVs, but remember you must purchase from an eligible dealership to be able to claim the subsidy, not an individual.

Cheapest electric car models in NL

The subsidy is priced from €12,000 but you are unlikely to find a new car at that price. The cheapest new models by RRP begin at around €19,000.

Where to lease EVs in The Netherlands

Hyundai – The IONIQ 5 is regarded as one of the best electric cars available. You can lease it from €579 /mnth direct from Hyundai.

ANWB – The automobile association of the Netherlands also offers car leases, including EV leases.

Which car models are eligible for subsidies?

Cars priced between €12,000 and €44,000 are eligible. A full list is made available via the SEPP page above, or I have reproduced the list below with some additional data points such as the fuel efficiency, range and price.

The following cars are available in the scheme as they fall within the price rules set out by the government.