GreenWay NetworkBlogElectromobility 2017? Interest grows, but we are still lagging behind the other V4 countries

Subsidies should increase the interest in electromobility also among companies. It should be especially advantageous with operational leasing. “Currently, we are launching a campaign promoting an e-mobility package in cooperation with brands including VW, Nissan and Kia,” says Lucia Čišková, Commercial Director at Business Lease Slovakia.

The decision of the Government of the Slovak Republic to allocate EUR 5 million in support of the development of electromobility in Slovakia should, according to the experts, arouse interest in green mobility already in 2017. The subsidy of EUR 5,000 for acquisition of an electric car and EUR 3,000 for acquisition of a hybrid car makes the electric or hybrid vehicles affordable in comparison with acquisition of a vehicle with a combustion engine. Costs of electromobility will be significantly reduced also in case of operational leasing. “We have already noticed increased interest among companies,” notes Lucia Čišková, Commercial Director at Business Lease Slovakia.

More affordable electric vehicles

“We see the decision positively. We believe that the subsidies will motivate companies in Slovakia to procure electric cars to their vehicle fleets. Currently, we are launching a campaign promoting an e-mobility package in cooperation with brands including VW, Nissan and Kia for electric cars Kia e-Soul, Nissan Leaf, VW e-Up and e-Golf, where in addition to the electric car under operational leasing, we provide the client with an access to the charging infrastructure or we will provide the charging station directly to the company. The subsidy will reduce the operation costs of the electric car even further,” says regarding the new offer Lucia Čišková, Commercial Director at Business Lease Slovakia. The company is a comprehensive provider of mobility and a leading player in the field of operational leasing. In this way, it has been already for two years actively offering all types of electric cars, including Tesla. As a part of its innovative programme, it has also been providing for one year a so-called e-mobility package, where it provides not only electric cars but also access to the charging infrastructure or a charging station directly to the company.

Thus, it eliminates for the company quite a high initial investment for the electric vehicle, as the company pays only the difference between the purchase value of the vehicle and its residual price after the end of the lease contract, i.e., only really used value of the vehicle. “If a company decides to acquire an electric car, it may do so under operational leasing without the need of a high initial investment. We can set the offer of operational leasing with the same cost effectiveness as in the case of conventional vehicles. Through the fixed closed calculation, we can guarantee residual value of the vehicle after the end of the lease contract for all available models of electric cars on the Slovak market,” notes Lucia Čišková. Thus, the monthly lease payments are fixed for the company and without any risk connected to the resale price or unexpected servicing costs.

Support for infrastructure

One of the partners of Business Lease in the field of electromobility is Greenway, a company that presently operates the most comprehensive network of fast-charging stations on the major Slovak road corridors, which facilitates the growth of electromobility. However, as Rastislav Lauko, the managing director of GreenWay Infrastructure, observes, to attain more significant growth, it is necessary for the government to support at the same time also the construction of infrastructure. “An important question within the discussion on support for electromobility is whether the government should support more vigorously the demand for electric cars, or rather the creation and development of missing infrastructure for electric vehicles. There may be more electric vehicles on Slovak roads if there is appropriate infrastructure,” he explains. He notes, however, that in the near future the Slovak government has no plans to introduce any direct support scheme, which would systematically support development of infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Experience from more developed electromobility markets such as China, the United States, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and United Kingdom shows that in addition to supporting the demand for electric cars, it is also necessary to support related infrastructure. This is one of the contributing factors why, for example, in the Netherlands there are already more than 50 thousand electric cars. “By 2020, the projected number is around 200 thousand, and by 2030, it is expected to have 2 million electric vehicles there,” relates Čišková, based on the data from the parent company Business Lease Group in the Netherlands.

In Slovakia, some 350 electric vehicles are currently registered and the Ministry of Economy estimates that the number of electric and hybrid cars will grow to 20 thousand by 2025. “Neighbouring Poland is expecting to reach by the same time one million electric cars also thanks to clearly defined strategy and unequivocal support of electromobility by the government,” adds Lauko.

Increase of over 100 %

Lauko estimates the year-on-year increase in the number of registrations in Slovakia of more than 100% during 2017. It is because the reduction in acquisition costs, but also as a consequence of sectoral trends and government support, continuous improvement in performance of electric vehicles and existing nationwide network of GreenWay fast-charging stations.

Source: http://www.businesslease.sk/en/about-us/news/2017/electromobility-2017-interest-grows-but-we-are-still-lagging-behind-the-other-v4-countries/