One year after the launch of the ‘My Electric Car’ programme of subsidies for the purchase of electric cars, Poles have submitted to the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚi GW) more than 2.7 thousand applications with a total value of more than PLN 56 million. Subsidies for the purchase of electric cars for individual buyers amounted to over PLN 16.6 million.
In the opinion of NFOŚiGW Vice-President Paweł Mirowski, the greatest challenge now seems to be the ability to satisfy growing consumer appetites with an appropriate supply of electric vehicles. To date, the Fund has accepted applications for more than PLN 28 million, and more than PLN 66 million has been allocated to electric vehicle leaseholders. Nearly 2,200 electric vehicles have been financed in this way.
Today, more and more drivers declare that their next car will be an electric one. A study by the Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA) shows that already every third driver is planning to buy a car in the next three years or is considering such a possibility.
“Such a change in the attitudes of Polish road users is a very good prognosis for both environmental and economic reasons”, assessed Mirowski.
In the opinion of the PSPA’s managing director, Maciej Mazur, in the face of rising prices in the automotive market, inflation and the increase in interest rates affecting leasing instalments, ‘My Electric’ is a key factor encouraging the purchase of an electric car.
“However, in order for the programme to deliver tangible market benefits, it is necessary to ensure access to the subsidy in the long term”, Mazur stressed.
From 12 July 2021, individuals can apply for subsidies for the purchase of electric or hydrogen cars. The subsidy for individual buyers is PLN 18,750 and the price limit is PLN 225,000. On 8 September last year, NFOŚiGW concluded an agreement with Bank Ochrony Środowiska, on the basis of which the bank invited leasing companies to cooperate in the implementation of the programme.
Arkadiusz Słomczyński