Canceled climate bonus divides the Swedes

Half are negative, only one in four is positive and one third has neither opinion nor on the issue. Yes, the Swedes are, to say the least, divided after the government scrapped the climate bonus for new electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

Abolishing the bonus of up to SEK 70,000 was one of the first decisions the new government hammered through. It was justified by the fact that the cost of owning and driving these cars is now starting to become comparable to petrol and diesel cars. But the Swedes are divided over the decision.

Almost half of Swedes (45%) believe that the climate bonus should have remained, while almost one in four (23%) think it was the right decision to remove it. At the same time, a full 33 percent state that they are neutral or simply cannot decide. This can be interpreted as many people think that the question is actually difficult.

The wallet rules the opinion

Income differences influence opinion and those with a bigger wallet seem to be more critical of the decision. As much as 55 percent of those who earn SEK 55,000 or more think that the scrapping of the climate bonus was a wrong decision. At the same time, only 32 percent in the income range SEK 20,000-24,999 report having the same negative attitude.

- There are two camps here. We have those who see the bonus as an important piece of the puzzle for the car industry to continue to change and speed up the journey towards a fossil-free Sweden, then we have those who think the bonus functioned as a contribution to rich consumers, says Daniel Odsberg, sales manager Kvdbil.

New electric cars no longer as hot

The interest in buying or leasing a new electric car has been negatively affected by the scrapped climate bonus. It was probably not what the politicians were hoping for. Today, only one in four (28%) shows as much interest as when the bonus was still available. On the other hand, getting a used electric car, or a traditional petrol or diesel car, instead attracts more people. Interest has increased by 6% for both of these purchases.

- I can't say I'm surprised. The bonus has been an important incentive for many and now, moreover, times are tough. In order for the growth of new electric cars not to slow down, or even stop, the industry will have to face the new reality of consumers. When Tesla sharply lowered prices a few weeks ago, a shock wave went through the car industry. It's only a matter of time before we see the same move from the competition. Many will probably also rearrange production and focus on cheaper models, says Daniel Odsberg.

Question: What do you think about the removal of the climate bonus?

About the survey

The survey was conducted in Kantar Sifo's web panel during the period 12–16 January 2022. A total of 1,447 people aged 18–79 were interviewed, of which 1,020 people have access to a car. The web panel is nationally representative recruited based on random selection. There is no self-recruitment in Kantar Sifo's web panel.