Toespraak van staatssecretaris Van Veldhoven bij het ZEV Alliance side event '‘Raising our climate mitigation ambitions: toward all zero-emission vehicles'

Toespraak | 12-09-2018

First, let me thank all the leaders and participants at this meeting for their valuable input! And I’d like to thank the people of the ZEV Alliance for hosting this event!

I’m impressed by your positive energy and willingness to act. Because we must move forward, on our way towards a zero-emission society.

For over 5 years now, California and the Netherlands have been working closely together within the alliance. Years of pioneering work: taking 2 steps forward, and 1 back. But more importantly, years of fruitful and inspiring ideas, lessons and collaboration to speed up the introduction of zero-emission vehicles.

Today we talked about the main ZEV lessons learned over the past year, and the main goal for the year ahead: to accelerate the adoption of ZEVs.

And, ladies and gentlemen, acceleration is exactly what we need!

Leaders in major auto markets across North America and Europe are all giving us the same message: we need to set out a bold but realistic vision to steer the entire vehicle fleet toward zero-emission vehicles.

When the Netherlands joined the ZEV Alliance in late 2015, some people thought phasing out combustion engines entirely was a crazy idea.

Now, moving to 100 per cent zero-emission vehicles is fast becoming the consensus view. And automakers are increasingly talking about an all-electric future and electrifying all their production lines. We’re on the right track, and we’re gaining momentum.

Today, you’ve heard the common issues that markets around the world are facing. Our research agencies – from Norway, Quebec, California, my country and elsewhere – have identified the key barriers to accelerating the shift to electric driving.

To tackle these barriers, we need action on four points:

• First, we need to expand consumer awareness about EVs and their benefits. That must be easy: loading your vehicle with low costs instead of filling your tank with expensive fuel: that gives a laugh by the pump!
• Second, we need to expand the charging infrastructure to ensure EVs are convenient for all consumers. Not only the present Tesla-drivers but everyone!
• Third, we have to promote the widespread availability of EVs in the marketplace.
• And fourth, we’ll need to continue providing national and local incentives for several more years as battery costs come down. Several Dutch cities have privileged parking facilities.

Here’s where the collaboration comes in.

You heard today how Norway has a smart and sustainable incentive system. How Quebec, like California, uses regulation to guarantee the supply of zero-emission vehicles on its market. How the UK uses its pioneering consumer awareness programme to educate car buyers.

Through the Alliance – through this network of governments, joining forces and swapping notes on our policy and market developments – we can accelerate the learning process and tackle the barriers we face even faster.

And even better: more governments acting in unison can help grow the EV market, create economies of scale and enable us all to reach our goal of 10 per cent electrification sooner.

I’d like also to say a word about leadership. This isn’t just a challenge for scientists. We all agree that we must switch to zero-emission vehicles to meet our climate and clean-air goals. Scientists are right that this is technically achievable. But it’s about following up on that.

Government leaders have to be clear and will have to lead with predictable and sustained policy for many years. We have to set a clearly range of ambitions and objectives!

The Netherlands is aiming for all new cars to be zero-emission vehicles by 2030. We’re using policy incentives, expanding charging infrastructure and harnessing the efforts of local authorities to make ZEVs the most attractive option.

Norway says it can do this by 2025, and has put in place a system of incentives and local policy to make it happen.

California and Quebec have regulations laying down specific requirements on EVs. They have a vision for the industry, backed up by incentives, consumer campaigns, and an effective charging infrastructure.

And the UK is now implementing its bold vision on all zero-emission vehicles by 2040.

It’s been exciting to listen to all these pioneers today. To know that we’re all moving forward, that we all have the courage to take bold action, that our numbers are growing, and that we can achieve zero-emission mobility around the world.

Thank you.