Every second Swede will drive an electric car by 2030

Today, electric cars make up less than 5 percent of the Swedish car fleet. But the transition to electricity will go quickly - at least if the car owners themselves are to be believed.

In 2030, almost every other car owner (45%) states that they will drive electric, according to our survey carried out in collaboration with Kantar Sifo.

- It would be an important milestone for reducing emissions and meeting the climate goals. But there are obviously uncertainties in the forecast. The car market is largely controlled by economic developments and decisions made by politicians. Things can change quickly, says Daniel Odsberg, sales manager Kvdbil.

Price a problem

Daniel Odsberg sees the high price of electric cars as the biggest obstacle. Last fall, the bonus of SEK 50-70,000 was scrapped, and continued high inflation and rampant interest rates have made the calculation even tougher for potential electric car buyers. According to figures from the industry organization Mobility Sweden, sales to private individuals have plummeted.

- Right now, the electric car is freezing cold for many, and that doesn't surprise me at all. In survey after survey, we have seen that price and economy are the most important factors in choosing a car. In order to reverse the negative trend and take advantage of the great interest that still exists in switching to electric cars, politics needs to act quickly and in a targeted manner. By that I don't mean that you necessarily need to reintroduce the bonus, but you need to create an economically favorable environment that makes electric cars an affordable and safe investment for more people, says Odsberg.

Slowest in northern Sweden

Men, younger and middle-aged people are most willing to switch to an electric car. Just under half of the men state that they will drive an electric car by 2030 at the latest, compared to 39 percent of the women. In the age groups 18-29 years and 30-49 years, it is 52 and 53 percent, respectively, compared to 39 percent in the 50-64 year-olds and as low as 30 percent in the age group 65-79 years.

But there are also big differences depending on where in the country you live. Of the big cities, it is Gothenburg that leads the way, where it is even expected that there will be more electric cars than petrol and diesel cars. With Gothenburg as the driving force, Western Sweden (49%) is also at the top when looking at the whole country, followed by Southern Sweden with Skåne and Blekinge (47%). The transition is expected to be slowest in Västernorrland and Jämtland (25%) and in Västerbotten and Norrbotten (32%).

- There must be incentives to opt out of fossil fuels, but there must also be prerequisites. In large parts of the country, the charging infrastructure still lags behind, and this slows down the transition. Cold and long distances are also something that deters many consumers from getting an electric car, not least in northern Sweden, says Daniel Odsberg, Kvdbil sales manager.

For those who experience coldness and range as a problem, a plug-in hybrid can instead be an alternative, says Daniel Odsberg. Plug-in hybrids can be considered a better alternative than regular fossil-powered cars because they can run on electricity for shorter distances.

- By choosing a plug-in hybrid, you can contribute to reducing the negative environmental effects while at the same time gaining flexibility and security that enables driving even under unfavorable conditions. A charging hybrid can also be a perfect intermediate step towards fully embracing electric technology, he says.

About the survey
The survey was conducted in Kantar Sifo's web panel during the period 12–16 January 2023. A total of 1020 people were interviewed, all of whom 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.