The growth of shared mobility in the Netherlands is in danger of stagnating due to high costs, increasing regulatory pressure and uncertainty about future policy.
This is what the Coalition of Car-Sharing Providers (CvD) states in response to the report State of Shared Mobility 2024, which was published on March 7, 2025 by knowledge platform CROW and the National Cooperation Program Natuurlijk! Shared mobility. The CvD, a partnership of seven car-sharing providers, sees both positive developments and serious bottlenecks in the market.
increasing interest
According to the CvD, interest in shared mobility is growing among both consumers and governments. Public campaigns, car-free neighbourhoods and special parking facilities stimulate the use of shared cars. A national user survey shows that almost 70% of participants have decided not to purchase their own car or to get rid of their vehicle due to the availability of shared mobility. This shows that shared mobility actually contributes to a decrease in car ownership in the Netherlands.
At the same time, major challenges remain. The CvD points out that the business case for electric shared cars is difficult to get around due to high motor vehicle tax (mrb), sky-high insurance costs and – in cities like Amsterdam – extra high permit costs. The uncertainty about future policy also deters investors.
benefits under pressure
The CvD emphasises the social benefits of shared mobility. Studies by the Knowledge Institute for Mobility, CE Delft and Goudappel, among others, show that stimulating shared car use reduces dependence on scarce raw materials, frees up space for housing construction and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Electric shared cars replace multiple fossil vehicles and prevent people from purchasing a private car again.
In addition, shared mobility has a social function. For families with a tight budget, it offers an affordable alternative to car ownership, especially if they only need a car occasionally. Many households are stuck with an expensive, old fossil car that is rarely used but costs a lot of money. Shared cars can be a solution for this group.
Car sharing offers policy makers a solution to a number of social issues. Car sharing also offers many car owners a cheaper and more practical alternative to their own car.
In order to promote the growth of shared mobility, the CvD makes concrete policy proposals. The coalition advocates, among other things, making electric shared cars more attractive from a tax perspective. According to the providers, this can be done by maintaining the MRB discount on electric shared cars and allowing this form of transport to fall under the low VAT rate of 9%. The national study shows that costs are the main barrier for many users to switch completely to shared mobility. A lower VAT would immediately reduce prices for consumers.
In addition, the CvD calls for measures to reduce insurance costs. Car-sharing users who drive little cause relatively much damage, which is why insurers charge high premiums. This affects not only private users, but also car-sharing models with a low claims burden, such as closed sharing groups. The CvD proposes to set up a guarantee fund, comparable to the National Mortgage Guarantee, to limit the risks for insurers. This could significantly reduce insurance costs for car-sharing providers and users.
clear definition
Finally, the CvD advocates a clearer legal definition of a shared car. The current definition falls short, because it does not take into account important factors such as the availability of the shared car in the public space. This is important for granting permits and applying tax benefits.
With these proposals, the CvD wants to contribute to a more stable policy for shared mobility in the Netherlands. “We hope that the government realizes how big the impact of shared mobility already is and how important it is not to let its growth stagnate due to unnecessary costs and uncertainty,” according to the coalition.
