Once the regulations on the premium have been published in the Belgian Official Gazette, the next step in the application can be taken.
The launch of the new premium for electric vehicles in Flanders has led to an unprecedented rush to the digital counter of the Flemish government. Within just a few days of the opening of the counter on 1 January 2024, no fewer than 2.733 applicants have registered for a financial contribution to the purchase of an electric car. This initiative, intended to stimulate the transition to a more sustainable mobility system, seems to be bearing fruit, despite earlier concerns about the feasibility of the project.
The Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters, has set aside a budget of 20 million euros for this scheme. With almost 3.000 applications, this budget seems sufficient for the time being, although the exact costs will only be clear after all applications have been assessed. The majority of applications, 85,4%, concern new vehicles, which shows that the premium is mainly an incentive for the purchase of new, clean cars. In addition, 56 car-sharing systems and 22 non-profit organizations have also made use of the scheme, which underlines the breadth of the initiative.
Despite the enthusiasm expressed by the rapid increase in the number of applications, questions remain about the long-term viability of the bonus system. Advice from the Council of State and calculations by EV Belgium, the federation for electric mobility, suggest that the allocated budget may not be sufficient to meet demand. With sales of 9.000 electric vehicles expected in 2024, double the number from the previous year, the amount needed for bonuses could amount to as much as 45 million euros.

However, Minister Peeters has indicated that if the budget is not sufficient, solutions will be sought without adjusting the level of the premiums. This could happen during the budget controls later this year. The goal is clear: the Flemish government is determined to promote electric mobility as part of its climate strategy and is prepared to release the necessary resources for this.
This situation sheds light on a broader trend in Europe, where more and more governments are introducing incentives to accelerate the switch to electric vehicles. The question now is how these initiatives can be sustainably financed to ensure that the transition to greener mobility not only generates enthusiasm, but is also sustainable in the long term.