Global Automotive Export Resource Guide | Page 174

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It is also noticeable that 75% of hybrid and electric cars were bought by institutional clients. This situation is the result of better and better financial instruments which allow to use the car only for a fraction of its value and full or limited tax deductions (including VAT). Polish government is working on that issue in cooperation with EU Authorities.

Toyota remains at the top of the list of producers that sell the highest number of hybrid cars. They sold 14 196 such cars which is increase of 70%. That means that almost every third Toyota car leaving dealer’s salon has hybrid drive (exactly 27 cars per 100). Lexus is the runner up with 1 775 sold hybrid vehicles. Toyota has 81% share of alternative fuel vehicles market, Lexus has next 11%. The remaining 7.5 % of the market are divided between other carmakers.

Looking at the electric and plug-in hybrid cars in 2017, there were 1 068 units sold in Poland what means 87.7 % increase in comparison to 2016. Unfortunately that sector of market share is only 0.2%. More than half of them (585 cars) were hybrids with plug-in option (almost 45% increase year to year). There were only 439 (306.5% increase) fully electric cars sold. Nissan gained the biggest market share selling 270 electric cars which was 611% growth! This result is due to a contract with Vozilla - Wroclaw city car rental for delivery of 190 Nissan Leaf vehicles. The sales in 2018 was even better. The sales of EV vehicles grew 114%, and the sales of alternative drive vehicles is enhanced by a new act initiated in 2017 on electro mobility and alternative fuels.

In Poland only plug-in hybrid and electric cars are covered by lower excise tax (and it is the only financial incentive from the state). Unfortunately high price of such vehicles have not decreased in spectacular way because of that. Only individual models e.g. Mercedes E and S-Class, Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid and Cayenne E-Hybrid benefited from this regulation, as they are equipped with electric engines as well as petrol engines with very high capacity (over 2.0L ccm). That means reduction of excise tax from the level of 18,6 percent. Other models with engines up to 2.0L ccm are cheaper thanks to 3.1% excise tax, so the reduction of charges is not very impressive and encouraging.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Poland can expect in near future a minimum of 150 fast chargers along main roads and in big cities. Now there are 150 chargers but only some of them allow for fast battery charging. In comparison, there are over 100 000 such chargers in Europe. In Poland this number will grow up systematically because it is a priority task for power companies and the biggest Polish fuel company PKN ORLEN. Also next year the first hydrogen station will be open but it does not mean that hydrogen company MIRAI (if introduced to the Polish market at all) will become popular sight on our roads. There are currently less than 50 such stations in Germany – much bigger neighbor of Poland.

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