Mapping The 10 Best Countries For Electric Car Owners

Are you serious about fighting climate change? You need to put your money where your mouth is. One of the best things that you can do is invest in an electric car.

Automobiles account for around 20% of our carbon footprint. You won’t eliminate that entirely by switching to an electric car, but you can reduce it considerably.

In recent years, the sales and usage of electric cars has increased exponentially as technology evolves and the pressure to adopt eco-friendlier practices rises. Some countries are ahead of the curve in terms of their use of EVs, with tools like Open Charge Map to help EV drivers find charging spots near them.

Here are the top ten countries ranked as the best in the world for owning an electric car, according to new data from Compare The Market.

United States

The expansive and vast nature of the United States makes it a prime location for long drives and road trips. But it’s also one of the best locations in the world for owning and driving an electric car. Currently, there are 17,680 charging locations dotted around the US, with an impressive 29,252 charging stations to pick from.

Germany

Germany has long been associated with motor engineering and innovative automotive technologies, so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the leading countries in terms of adapting to EV driving. There are 11,802 charging locations around Germany, encapsulating 28,967 charging stations for EV drivers to make the most of.

UK

The UK has a surprising number of charging locations compared to other countries around the globe, with 6,959 at present. In recent years, the sales of electric vehicles have increased by as much as 40%. There are 17,616 charging stations that electric car owners can use around the country, making it a great destination for owning and driving EVs.

Netherlands

The Netherlands holds a firm position as one of the best countries for EV users, with 7,783 charging locations and a total of 10,553 charging stations. The Tesla Model S is the market leader in the Netherlands, closely followed by the Model X and Nissan Leaf.

Norway

Norway is one of the EV capitals of the world, in part because of the generous purchase subsidies and incentives offers to electric car owners, such as free ferry rides and exemptions from tolls. The Tesla Model X is one of the top sellers here, as well as the Nissan Leaf. There are 2,014 charging locations to accommodate EVs, with a total of 8,965 charging stations.

Italy

Italy has built up its charging infrastructure in recent years to accommodate EV users, as plug-in sales have increased considerably. There are some incentives for owners, including a five-year exemption from annual registration tax, while some Italian cities offer other incentives. EV owners have a pick of 3,513 charging locations and 7,037 charging stations at present.

Canada

The breath-taking scenery and long expanses of road found in Canada make it one of the best countries for road trips and adventures. But electric car owners don’t have to miss out, as Canada is one of the best destinations globally for EV users. There are 3,337 charging locations found here, as well as 4,941 charging stations.

Sweden

The Swedish government actively supports and encourages the use of plug-in cars and the country has ranked as one of the leading plug-in car markets in the world on several occasions. Around the country, there are 1,448 charging locations and 5,052 stations currently in operation. Some of the most popular models here include the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, BMW i3 and the Volkswagen e-Up!

France

There are plans in place to increase EV sales fivefold by 2020 in France, with incentives planned to encourage the reduction of air pollution. France has 2,059 charging locations and 3,549 charging stations around the country and there are targets in place to drastically increase those figures by 2020. The homegrown Renault Zoe is the most popular plug-in car here.

Spain

There have been several incentive plans put in place in recent years in Spain to encourage more people to purchase EVs. Spain has 1,358 charging locations around the country and a total of 2,245 charging stations, providing plug-in vehicle owners with plenty of opportunity to keep their motors powered up.

Lower Your Carbon Footprint By Investing in an Electric Vehicle

There are a lot of ways that you can lower your carbon footprint. One of the best options is to invest in an electric car.