By Matthias Van Steendam

In Belgium, 100% of the sales of corporate vehicles will be electric by 2030, rapidly boosting EV adoption. The country’s public charging infrastructure is growing and the ecosystem diversifying, but home-charging will remain dominant.

What are the current key trends within e-mobility in Belgium?

The country is a solid performer in terms of EV adoption, with a 30% xEV sales penetration rate – the global average is 16%, while the top three nations average 61%. However, we expect it to soon take a leading position. Electric and hybrid-electric vehicles are expected to grow to 78% of total car sales in 2030.

There are two specific drivers for increased EV adoption. Firstly, Belgium has an exceptionally high number of company cars – roughly 40% of all new cars sold are corporate lease vehicles . By 2027, only EVs will be fully tax deductible, so we expect corporate fleets to be more than 65% electric by then. This will have a knock-on effect for the private market when leases expire and cars are sold as second-hand vehicles. Secondly, there will be an increase in low-emission zones within certain cities, restricting entry for non-electric vehicles. The precise nature of these laws is still be decided.

In terms of charging infrastructure, the government is issuing large tenders to equip regional roads with sufficient charge points, which is triggering investment from larger players like ENGIE.

How do you expect the country’s charging infrastructure to evolve?

Home chargers will dominate. There is currently insufficient public and workplace charging available, meaning EV users must install home chargers or revert to highway charging. Large cities are adopting new regulations to limit the number of corporate parking spots, while simultaneously imposing a minimum share of charging points.

What moves are we seeing from players within the charging ecosystem?

Until recently, only pioneers such as Fastned and Allego were installing public EV chargers. But now major utilities like ENGIE and Luminus as well as oil and gas companies like Shell are quickly catching up in workplace, destination and highway charging.

Is there currently much innovation within EV charging?

We will see an increase in smart charging to limit electricity consumption at peak times. And operators will likely look to improve profitability by utilizing local renewable energy where possible. Overall, though, we’re more likely to see changes to business models than technological innovation in the near future. Think bundled offers at commercial destinations like free EV charging with a meal, for example.

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