The number of new registrations of electric cars fell for the first time in Sweden in 2024.
The largest decline was among private individuals.
I think we have had too little focus on making it easier for those who charge their cars, says Romina Pourmokhtari about the government's policy during the term of office.
Now her party is running for election on an electric car package to get more people to abandon petrol and diesel in favour of electricity.
Focused on petrol
L proposes, among other things, abolishing the energy tax on charging, regardless of whether it takes place along the E4 or at the residential building, increased mileage compensation for pure electric cars, and subsidies for small business owners who lease a van or light truck that runs on electricity.
The energy tax is currently 36 öre per kilowatt-hour. It is unclear what it would cost to completely abolish it at charging stations.
Pourmokhtari emphasizes that the party generally wants to lower the electricity tax more than the government has done so far.
It should be profitable to charge, not just to refuel, which this government has focused a lot on, she says.
Reduce emissions
At the same time, the infrastructure must be expanded further, according to the Liberals. More charging stations are needed in rural areas, at tourist destinations, shopping centres, workplaces and apartment buildings.
That needs to be the focus of the next term - how we can ensure that the electric car wins because it is the best, not because the petrol car is banned, says Pourmokhtari.
Of Sweden's five million cars, only around seven percent are powered by electricity.
Electrification of the vehicle fleet is also important for reducing climate emissions.
The answer is not to make it ridiculously expensive to refuel, it is to ensure that electrification wins because it is more profitable, she says.
The Liberals want to abolish the energy tax on electricity when charging electric cars.
The energy tax is 36 öre per kilowatt hour today, excluding VAT.
L has no figure on what it would cost to abolish it for electric cars. When the tax was generally reduced at the turn of the year, from 43.9 öre to 36.0 öre per kilowatt hour, it was estimated to cost the treasury 6.5 billion kronor per year.
L also wants to increase the mileage allowance, the tax-free flat rate, for those who use a pure electric car for work from SEK 9.50 to SEK 12.50 per mile. This is the same level for those who currently drive a company car, petrol, diesel or hybrid.
L wants to make it easier for small business owners, such as craftsmen, to switch to an electric van or light electric truck by subsidising the purchase price.
The party also wants to expand the state investment support "Charge the car" from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to also include apartment buildings and direct the support to larger communal parking lots with more charging stations.
