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The Netherlands is the world leader for use of electric vehicles
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The Netherlands is the world leader for use of electric vehicles

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© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Mar 19, 2021
Victoria Séveno
Victoria grew up in Amsterdam, before moving to the UK to study English and Related Literature at the University of York and completing her NCTJ course at the Press Association in London. She has a love for all things movies, animals, and food. Read more

A new study has named the Netherlands as the world leader in electric vehicles, with the country nabbing the top spot when it comes to setting the standard for lower carbon emissions and beating out the likes of China and Germany. 

Is the Netherlands winning the world’s electric vehicle race?

The ranking was compiled by car rental comparison site Stress Free Car Rental. Researchers looked at the number of electric vehicles sold in relation to population size, as well as government investment in the necessary infrastructure and the number of charging points per electric vehicle. 

The research found that the Netherlands was the most advanced in the roll-out of electric-friendly infrastructure and technology. Almost 300.000 electric cars have been sold in the country, equating to one for every 58 members of the population. The country also has more public charging stations per car than any other country, with one station for every five electric cars currently on the road. 

Interestingly, while the Netherlands may not have the highest number of electric vehicles in comparison to population size, the country is significantly ahead of the other nations, with a spot in the top 10, when it comes to the availability of charging stations, thanks to significant investment from the Dutch government and municipalities. 

A spokesperson for the site said that drivers in the Netherlands “have been very receptive to the new technology,” and that the size of the country perhaps helps to encourage the use of electric vehicles, as the distances driven on a daily basis are generally shorter than in larger countries like the United States. 

Top 10 countries for electric cars

According to the ranking and based on date from 2020, the top 10 countries in the world for electric vehicles are:

Rank Country Electric vehicles sold People per electric vehicle Public charging points Electric vehicles per charging point
1 The Netherlands 297.380 58 60.000 5
2 Norway 480.008 11 16.000 30
3 Sweden 193.054 52 30.000 16
4 France 470.295 143 30.000 16
5 China 4.595.100 304 516.000 9
6 Germany 700.000 119 27.730 25
7 Japan 325.000 389 30.000 11
8 UK 434.282 154 13.505 32
9 Canada 188.100 2.002 5.004 38
10 USA 1.741.566 189 26.000 67

For more information about the study, visit the Stress Free Car Rental website.

By Victoria Séveno