Image
Organisation of group purchase electric cars
Published on 27 January 2020
Belgium
Prov. Vlaams-Brabant
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The government tries to convince citizens to choose for an electric instead of a conventional car. The high purchase price remains the biggest treshold for citizens. Therefore, Flanders Region organised in January 2019 a group purchase for electric cars. The organisation was outsourced to a specialised group purchase organisation, which selected different electric models with price discounts which were offered through a central platform for citizens (www.samenelektrisch.be). Price discounts ranged from 350 euro up til 9.700 euro, depending on the model. In total, 80 electric cars were bought by citizens making use of the platform. In addition to clear price discounts, the group purchase initiated a public debate on e-mobility.
Expert opinion
Electric vehicles have a multitude of benefits for the environment but remain more expensive than fossil-fuel vehicles. Group purchasing agreements enable bulk buying to negotiate discounts and bring down individual costs. This is very interesting approach for electric vehicles, negotiating bulk purchasing from manufactures and dealers. The model is also interesting, enabling individuals to register their interest with no obligations, and providing four car models and advice on vehicles and charging, and enabling access to government premiums. The approach could be replicable, depending on building up interest in e-vehicles, finding an organisation to lead the process, and developing relations with regional dealers.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The organisation of the group purchase was outsourced to a specialised organisation (Bobex). The total amount of the tender was 49.946 euro, this budget was used by Bobex to promote the group purchase.
Internally, 0,3 full time equivalents worked on the group purchase during the timescale.
Internally, 0,3 full time equivalents worked on the group purchase during the timescale.
Evidence of success
Our group purchase program received quite some media attention. In total, 2.655 registrations for the group purchase were received. 1.596 persons were called and referred to the manufacturers. Almost half of them (45%) did a test drive. In total, 80 cars were effectively bought. The project was very successful in putting electric driving into the spotlights and offering people a first EV experience. About 5 to 10% of accepted registrations has actually bought one of the four electric car models.
Potential for learning or transfer
The organisation of a group purchase can be an easy way to put e-mobility in the spotlights, and can be in particular interesting to push e-mobility in regions were the market share of electric vehicles is still very low. Such an initiative should always go hand in hand with a comprehensive e-mobility policy package, including the deployment of charging infrastructure and other stimulus for electric vehicles. In Flanders Region, the cost-benefic ratio was very high, as this was considered as quite a small initiative which resulted in a public debate on e-mobility.
More information on: https://www.interregeurope.eu/e-mopoli/library/
More information on: https://www.interregeurope.eu/e-mopoli/library/
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
other
Belgium
Prov. Vlaams-Brabant
Contact