Last year, the government began offering subsidies for the purchase of electric personal vehicles. And starting on 15 March 2021 there is also a similar subsidy scheme for electric delivery vans. This scheme makes it more attractive to invest in an environmentally friendly alternative to a diesel-engine delivery vehicle.
Subsidy scheme starting from 15 March
The new subsidy scheme is a result of the Climate Agreement, and is intended to make the Dutch vehicle fleet more sustainable. The government has set aside up to € 185 million for the new subsidy scheme, which will run until 31 December 2025. Entrepreneurs can request up to a maximum of € 5,000 in subsidies for fully electric delivery vehicles. The average application is expected to be less than the maximum, so this scheme should be sufficient for around 44,000 electric delivery vans. The total subsidy budget for 2021 is € 22 million, which is enough for at least 4,400 vehicles.
Preparing for emissions-free zones
The subsidy scheme reduces the difference in price between an electric delivery vehicle and one powered by fossil fuels, allowing entrepreneurs to move forward on their plans to choose emissions-free delivery vans. Around 30 to 40 larger municipalities plan on introducing emissions-free zones in urban areas starting in 2025, driving vehicles powered by internal combustion engines from the city centres. That is also one of the provisions of the Climate Agreement.
Subsidy for leased delivery vehicle
The subsidy is intended solely for enterprises and non-profit organisations registered with the Chamber of Commerce and located in the Netherlands. Government agencies are not eligible for the subsidy.
When considering whether to lease an electric delivery vehicle, it is important to know that the lease company must request and receive the subsidy. That means ALD Automotive will arrange it for you. Once the subsidy is granted, the government will check whether the vehicle is actually being used by an enterprise. The subsidy will be calculated into your lease payments.
The vehicles eligible for the subsidy must be 100% electric delivery vehicles with a minimum MSRP of € 20,000 and a range of at least 100 kilometres. The subsidy amount is equal to 10% of the net MSRP, up to a maximum of € 5,000 per commercial vehicle. This article provides a detailed overview of the subsidy scheme for operational leases.
Would you like to lease an electric vehicle?
There are a lot of things to consider when leasing an electric delivery vehicle. Which vehicle best suits your business needs? What range should the vehicle have? What about the installation of custom options and conversions? Where can you charge the battery? We are pleased to offer comprehensive solutions for electric mobility, including charging, and payment.
Please feel free to contact our lease consultants at tel.: +31 (0)20 658 70 00, or send an email to info.nl@aldautomotive.com. We’ll contact you at the first opportunity.
Electric delivery vehicle subsidy characteristics
The subsidy scheme places some conditions on the purchase, financing and lease of an electric delivery vehicle, so we have put together a list of the characteristics of the subsidy scheme for operational lease below.
Request
• ALD Automotive will request the subsidy on your behalf.
• The subsidy is for one or more emissions-free commercial vehicles.
• ALD Automotive can request the subsidy for commercial vehicles between 15 March 2021 and 31 December 2025 with a maximum of 400 per year.
• The vehicle must be registered in the name of the lease company.
Delivery Vehicle Specifications
• The commercial vehicle must have a net MSRP of € 20,000 or more.
• The electric commercial vehicle must fall under category N1 (= Commercial vehicle; Motor vehicles on four or more wheels, designed and built for the transport of goods).
• The commercial vehicle has a type approval for light vehicles (WLTP) and a range of at least 100 km.
• The commercial vehicle is fully emissions-free; fuel code E.
• The commercial vehicle falls under the vehicle classification N1 and has a maximum weight (GVW) of 4,250 kg.
• The commercial vehicle’s battery pack may not contain lead.
• When the subsidy is requested, the commercial vehicle may not have been registered in the RDW vehicle registration.
Subsidy grant
• The subsidy amount is equal to 10% of the net MSRP, up to a maximum of € 5,000 per commercial vehicle.
• Once the subsidy has been approved, the definitive subsidy amount will be calculated based on the registered net MSRP. This amount is listed in the RDW vehicle registration for commercial vehicles in category N1. If the net MSRP differs from the offer, then the subsidy can only be adjusted downwards. No additional subsidy will be granted for price increases.
• The commercial vehicle will be delivered within 4 months of the grant of the subsidy.
• It is possible to request a delay in the subsidy approval process. The approval request must be submitted within 4 months of the grant of the subsidy. The grant may be postponed if the vehicle undergoes conversion. In that case, the applicant must prove that the delivery time for the commercial vehicle(s) is longer than 4 months. A delay of up to 5 months may also be granted for multi-type approval. If the application has not been approved by then, then the subsidy will be revoked.
• Applications will be approved or denied within a maximum of 13 weeks of the date of receipt of the request.
Subsidy obligations
• The commercial vehicle(s) for which a subsidy has been received must be registered in the name of the lease company.
• The commercial vehicle(s) must be leased by the customer for an uninterrupted period of at least 3 years from the date of first registration. If this condition is not met, then the subsidy must be refunded on a prorated basis.
• If the emissions-free commercial vehicle is replaced by another emissions-free commercial vehicle within the 3-year period, then the vehicle does not need to be leased for 3 years. However, the replacement vehicle must also meet the subsidy scheme conditions. In that case, the approval will be amended, and no new subsidy will be granted.