Czech Switch to E-Mobility Still ‘Completely Unimaginable’

Purchasing an e-car in the near future is completely unimaginable for most Czechs as the high cost of e-cars and misunderstandings on emissions rules ensure they remain skeptical about e-mobility, said Czech expert Helena Truchlá.

According to Ekovozy.cz, which monitors the number of e-vehicles in the Czech Republic, around 12,000 electric cars were in the country by mid-2022.

“The Czech public perception of electromobility is still negative. This is related to the fact that electric cars are still simply too expensive for a large part of the population, and a bit too sci-fi for everyday life,” added Truchlá, an analyst at sociologist agency STEM.

“For more than a third of the (Czech) public, such a purchase is completely unimaginable,” Truchlá pointed out. The Czech public is also opposed to plans to restrict the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035.

According to the expert, people’s attitude towards restricting the sale of conventional cars is often linked to a misunderstanding of the regulation.

“Only 27% of people in our survey last year correctly said that after that date (2035), everyone can still drive whatever they want in Europe,” Truchlá said. Half of those surveyed also believed the change to be a total ban on non-electric cars, including used cars.

Czechia has one of the oldest car fleets in the EU, with an average car age of 11.93 years, compared to the 11.8 EU average, 2022 data from the Association of Car Importers shows.

Moreover, about one-fifth of Czech people are considering buying their own electric car, Truchlá said – the lowest proportion amongst EU members, a survey by the European Investment Bank (EIB) reads.

According to the survey, Czechs are the only ones counting on a petrol or diesel car for their next purchase. Other countries rely on electric or hybrid cars,  mainly for financial reasons.

“For more than a third of the (Czech) public, such a purchase is completely unimaginable,” Truchlá said.