The Estonian Ministry of the Environment is set to introduce new incentives to encourage residents to buy electric cars. Experts in the country believe that EVs (electric vehicles) could become popular in Estonia, but only if attitudes and habits change.
Following a decision by the EU to ban the sale of international combustion engine vehicles starting from 2035, there is a need to encourage other forms of private transport.
As reported by ERR news, Silver Havamaa, a head of sales and marketing for a dealership, argues that Estonians in 2022 are actually quite open to the possibility of using EVs, saying that the technology no longer is seen as a privilege of the wealthy. She explains that this type of myth that previously surrounded EVs has now been “busted” and that ordinary people are prepared to buy them.
Whilst EVs first became available in Estonia ten years ago, their expansion has been held back by the view that they are not a reliable form of transport. However, developments in the technology in recent years means that concerns about their durability over long distance journeys are diminishing.
An additional issue preventing the widespread adoption of EVs is the need for charging infrastructure. Ivo Palu, professor of energy at TalTech has stated that with the right government response, this problem can be overcome by investing in new facilities for charging.
The Ministry of Environment has announced that it will run a campaign that will aim to create greater interest in purchasing EVs and reduce the red tape surrounding access to financial support for those choosing to buy them.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check out the EuroNews247 website for all your up-to-date European news stories.
