Advancing Sustainable Mobility in Greece: Promoting the Uptake of Electric Vehicles
By 2030, at least 30 million zero-emission cars will be operating on European roads. This project aims to help Greece attain this objective, as set out in the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. Greece’s car fleet is among the oldest in Europe, with an average vehicle age of 16 years. The uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in Greece remains very low: in 2020, EVs accounted for only 2.6% of new car sales, compared with the European Union (EU) average of 10.5%. The project reviews best practices in the EU, using ITF quantitative modelling to develop policy recommendations for accelerating EV adoption in Greece, including the expansion of charging infrastructure.
The European Union funds the work via the Technical Support Instrument in co-operation with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support. It is implemented by the International Transport Forum in collaboration with the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The official project title is “Recharge and Refuel: Clean, Smart and Fair Urban Mobility”.
Find out more at our interactive webinar on 25 October
Find all deliverables, including an extended version of the report, in both English and Greek
Policy Insights
On subsidy schemes:
Target the marginal consumer to ensure the maximum impact of subsidy budgets
Target subsidies for used vehicles and lower-income groups to unlock mass-market EV adoption
Consider revising the administrative operation of subsidy schemes towards indirect disbursement models
Plan for the introduction of subsidies for electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles
On charging infrastructure in local and regional authorities:
Prioritise concession tender models for charging infrastructure deployment
Disaggregate concession areas and bundle profitable locations with less economically viable locations to ensure widespread coverage
Provide support for local and regional authorities to work on charging infrastructure. This includes both financial resources for staff and guidance to help support decision-making
Develop regional charging plans
On meeting the Alternative Fuels and Infrastructure Regulation:
Proactively prepare the electricity grid for EV charging demand
Align network reinforcement strategies with AFIR requirements and real-world demand projections
Define priority charging locations and tailor charging infrastructure deployment policies
Accelerate permitting and approval processes for charging infrastructure deployment
Develop strategic platforms to improve coordination between electromobility stakeholders