Ongoing growth: +83.2% for electric cars in 2024
On 1 August 2024, there were 6,089,564 passenger cars in Belgium, compared to 6,030,700 a year earlier. This is an increase of 1.0%. The number of cars has increased by 0.92% on average over the last ten years. This is what emerged from the new figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.
Fully electric cars have sharply increased in one year, with a 83.2% increase. There were 138,749 electric cars in 2023; there are 254,240 of them in 2024.
It is important to note that 82.0% of these electric cars are registered by enterprises. Even though electric cars are becoming increasingly popular in Belgium, only 45,348 cars (17.8%) are owned by individuals and 208,542 by enterprises.
Hybrid cars currently account for 11.7% of the whole vehicle fleet. There were 710,687 hybrid cars in 2024 compared to 537,817 in 2023 (+32.1%). Here too, company cars represent the majority, but to a lesser extent than fully electric cars. 394,969 hybrid cars are registered by enterprises (55.6%), while 313,072 are owned by individuals (44.1%).
The number of gas cars remains marginal even though they have increased by 11.8% in 2024 to 22,786.
Number of passenger cars per motor fuel and type of owner in 2024
| 2024 | Type of owner | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Private | Unknown | ||
| Petrol | 307,781 | 2,751,063 | 73,763 | 3,132,607 |
| Diesel | 329,526 | 1,594,381 | 10,400 | 1,934,307 |
| Petrol/diesel + Electric | 394,969 | 313,072 | 2,646 | 710,687 |
| Electric | 208,542 | 45,348 | 350 | 254,240 |
| Gas | 1,022 | 21,294 | 470 | 22,786 |
| Other | 6,447 | 9,865 | 18,625 | 34,937 |
| Total | 1,248,287 | 4,735,023 | 106,254 | 6,089,564 |
Since 2015, the number of diesel passenger cars has been decreasing a little faster every year. In 2024, there were 12.1% fewer diesel cars than a year earlier. So, on 1 August, there were 1,934,307 diesel cars. Simultaneously and just like in 2023, the number of petrol cars continues to increase (+1.2% in 2024) and stands at 3,132,607 units. Petrol cars account for 51.4% of the passenger car fleet, against 31.8% for diesel cars, 11.7% for hybrid cars, 4.2% for electric cars and 0.4% for gas cars.
Besides passenger cars, Belgium has 16,568 buses and coaches, 986,069 commercial vehicles for the transport of goods, 56,184 tractors, 209,500 agricultural tractors and 88,776 special motor vehicles. Furthermore, 546,612 motorcycles are registered in Belgium, bringing the total of the vehicle fleet to 7,993,273 units.
Evolution of the vehicle fleet 2022-2024
| On 1 August | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023/2022 | 2024/2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle fleet on 1 August (including motorcycles) | 7,796,877 | 7,910,513 | 7,993,273 | +1.5% | +1.1% |
| Passenger cars | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | 6,089,564 | +1.4% | +1.0% |
| - petrol | 3,021,102 | 3,096,253 | 3,132,607 | +2.5% | +1.2% |
| - diesel | 2,424,932 | 2,201,549 | 1,934,307 | -9.2% | -12.1% |
| - gas | 17,740 | 20,373 | 22,786 | +14.8% | +11.8% |
| - electricity | 71,651 | 138,749 | 254,240 | +93.7% | +83.2% |
| - hybrid | 375,107 | 537,817 | 710,687 | +43.4% | +32.1% |
| - not mentioned | 36,947 | 35,959 | 34,937 | -2.7% | -2.8% |
| Buses and coaches | 16,557 | 16,449 | 16,568 | -0.7% | +0.7% |
| Motor vehicles for the transport of goods (a) | 958,553 | 973,447 | 986,069 | +1.6% | +1.3% |
| Tractors (b) | 55,075 | 56,222 | 56,184 | +2.1% | -0.1% |
| Agricultural tractors | 203,472 | 206,405 | 209,500 | +1.4% | +1.5% |
| Special motor vehicles (d) | 82,634 | 85,625 | 88,776 | +3.6% | +3.7% |
| Motorcycles (c) | 533,107 | 541,665 | 546,612 | +1.6% | +0.9% |
| Inhabitants per passenger car on 1 August | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | -0.5% | -0.4% |
| (a) Lorries, delivery , vans, cross-country vehicles and tank vehicles. (b) Road tractors are commercial motor vehicules to which semi-trailers (vehicule without front axle) are hitched. (c) All motorcycles doing more than 40 km/h, i.e. all motorcycles and most mopeds (d) The special vehicles are slow vehicles the dimensions or weight of which exceed the normally allowed maximum values |
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Size of the vehicle fleet (2019-2024)
| On 1st August of the year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger vehicles | 5,889,210 | 5,888,589 | 5,927,912 | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | 6,089,564 | |||||
| - petrol | 2,709,604 | 2,843,903 | 2,951,770 | 3,021,102 | 3,096,253 | 3,132,607 | |||||
| - diesel | 3,005,928 | 2,815,755 | 2,623,556 | 2,424,932 | 2,201,549 | 1,934,307 | |||||
| - gas | 14,924 | 14,957 | 15,999 | 17,740 | 20,373 | 22,786 | |||||
| - with an electric motor | 15,338 | 23,983 | 40,851 | 71,651 | 138,749 | 254,240 | |||||
| - hybrid | 110,984 | 154,807 | 258,916 | 375,107 | 537,817 | 710,687 | |||||
| - not specified | 32,432 | 35,184 | 36,820 | 36,947 | 35,959 | 34,937 | |||||
| Inhabitants per passenger car on 1st August (d) | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.94 | 1.93 | |||||
| N/A: Not (yet) available. (d) Population figure on 1st January of the year | |||||||||||
Size of the vehicle fleet (2019-2024)
| On 1st August of the year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total vehicle fleet (including motorcycles) | 7,614,082 | 7,651,138 | 7,751,422 | 7,796,877 | 7,910,513 | 7,993,273 | |||||
| Passenger vehicles | 5,889,210 | 5,888,589 | 5,927,912 | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | 6,089,564 | |||||
| Busses and coaches | 16,542 | 16,422 | 16,628 | 16,557 | 16,449 | 16,568 | |||||
| Lorries, delivery vans, cross-country vehicles and tank vehicles | 885,487 | 910,356 | 946,427 | 958,553 | 973,447 | 986,069 | |||||
| Tractors (a) | 52,694 | 52,802 | 53,899 | 55,075 | 56,222 | 56,184 | |||||
| Agricultural tractors | 194,399 | 196,504 | 200,332 | 203,472 | 206,405 | 209,500 | |||||
| Specialized vehicles (b) | 76,640 | 78,469 | 80,876 | 82,634 | 85,625 | 88,776 | |||||
| Motorcycles (c) | 499,110 | 507,996 | 525,348 | 533,107 | 541,665 | 546,612 | |||||
| N/A: Not (yet) available. (a) Tractors are commercial motor vehicles coupled to a semi-trailer (vehicle without front axle). (b) Specialized vehicles are slow vehicles whose dimensions and weight exceed the established maximum limits. The maximum authorized weight in Belgium is 44 tonnes. Vehicles of this category may therefore only be used on public roads under strict conditions. (c) All motorcycles driving 40km/h or faster. That is all motorcycles and most mopeds. | |||||||||||
Purpose and brief description
The vehicle fleet gives an overview of all motorised vehicles registered in Belgium on 1st August
Population
Motor vehicle / Vehicle fleet
Data collection method and sample size
Administrative data
Frequency
Annually
Timing of publication
Results available 1 month after the reference period.
Definitions
Vehicle types: passenger cars, buses and coaches, lorries, tractors, agricultural tractors, specialized vehicles, motorcycles
Fuel type: petrol, diesel, gas, electricity.
Tractors are commercial motor vehicles coupled to a semi-trailer (vehicle without front axle).
Specialized vehicles are slow vehicles whose dimensions and weight exceed the established maximum limits. The maximum authorized weight in Belgium is 44 tonnes. Vehicles of this category may therefore only be used on public roads under strict conditions.
All motorcycles driving 40km/h or faster. That is all motorcycles and most mopeds.