93.6% increase in electric cars in 2023
On 1 August 2023, there were 6,030,700 passenger cars in Belgium, compared to 5,927,912 a year earlier. This is a 1.4% increase. The number of cars has increased by 0.94% per year 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 almost doubled in one year, with a 93.6% increase. There were 71,651 electric cars in 2022 ; there are 138,749 of them in 2023.
It is important to note that 80.8% of these electric cars are registered by enterprises. Even though electric cars are becoming increasingly popular in Belgium, only 26,440 cars (19.1%) are owned by individuals and 112,056 by enterprises.
Hybrid cars currently account for 8.9% of the vehicle fleet and have greatly passed the 530,000 car mark: 537,817 hybrid cars compared to only 375,107 in 2022 (+43.4%). Here too, company cars represent the majority, but to a lesser extent than fully electric cars. 313,723 hybrid cars are registered by enterprises (58.3%), while 222,065 are owned by individuals (41.3%).
The number of gas cars has increased by 14.8% in 2023 to 20,373.
Number of passenger cars per motor fuel and type of owner in 2023
| 2023 | Type of owner | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Private | Unknown | ||
| Petrol | 334,574 | 2,687,848 | 73,831 | 3,096,253 |
| Diesel | 444,787 | 1,746,059 | 10,703 | 2,201,549 |
| Petrol/diesel + Electric | 313,723 | 222,065 | 2,029 | 537,817 |
| Electric | 112,056 | 26,440 | 253 | 138,749 |
| Gas | 913 | 19,001 | 459 | 20,373 |
| Other | 7,578 | 9,748 | 18,633 | 35,959 |
| Total | 1,213,631 | 4,711,161 | 105,908 | 6,030,700 |
Since 2015, the number of diesel passenger cars has been decreasing a little faster every year. In 2023, there were 9.2 % fewer diesel cars than a year earlier. So, on 1 August, there were 2,201,549 diesel cars. Simultaneously and just like in 2022, the number of petrol cars continues to increase (+2.5% in 2023) and stands at 3,096,253 units. Petrol cars now account for 51.34% of the passenger car fleet, against 36.51% for diesel.
Besides passenger cars, Belgium has 16,449 buses and coaches, 973,447 commercial vehicles for the transport of goods, 56,222 tractors, 206,405 agricultural tractors and 85,625 special motor vehicles. Furthermore, 541,665 motorcycles are registered in Belgium, bringing the total of the vehicle fleet to 7,910,513 units.
Evolution of the vehicle fleet 2021-2023
| On 1 August | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022/2021 | 2023/2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle fleet on 1 August (including motorcycles) | 7,751,422 | 7,796,877 | 7,910,513 | +0.6% | +1.5% |
| Passenger cars | 5,927,912 | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | +0.3% | +1.4% |
| - petrol | 2,951,770 | 3,021,102 | 3,096,253 | +2.3% | +2.5% |
| - diesel | 2,623,556 | 2,424,932 | 2,201,549 | -7.6% | -9.2% |
| - gas | 15,999 | 17,740 | 20,373 | +10.9% | +14.8% |
| - electricity | 40,851 | 71,651 | 138,749 | +75.4% | +93.6% |
| - hybrid | 258,916 | 375,107 | 537,817 | +44.9% | +43.4% |
| - not mentioned | 36,820 | 36,947 | 35,959 | +0.3% | -2.7% |
| Buses and coaches | 16,628 | 16,557 | 16,449 | -0.4% | -0.7% |
| Motor vehicles for the transport of goods (a) | 946,427 | 958,553 | 973,447 | +1.3% | +1.6% |
| Tractors (b) | 53,899 | 55,075 | 56,222 | +2.2% | +2.1% |
| Agricultural tractors | 200,332 | 203,472 | 206,405 | +1.6% | +1.4% |
| Special motor vehicles (d) | 80,876 | 82,634 | 85,625 | +2.2% | +3.6% |
| Motorcycles (c) | 525,348 | 533,107 | 541,665 | +1.5% | +1.6% |
| Inhabitants per passenger car on 1 August | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | +0.5% | -0.5% |
| (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 (2018-2023)
| On 1st August of the year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger vehicles | 5,853,782 | 5,889,210 | 5,888,589 | 5,927,912 | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | |||||
| - petrol | 2,518,942 | 2,709,604 | 2,843,903 | 2,951,770 | 3,021,102 | 3,096,253 | |||||
| - diesel | 3,193,658 | 3,005,928 | 2,815,755 | 2,623,556 | 2,424,932 | 2,201,549 | |||||
| - gas | 15,500 | 14,924 | 14,957 | 15,999 | 17,740 | 20,373 | |||||
| - with an electric motor | 9,244 | 15,338 | 23,983 | 40,851 | 71,651 | 138,749 | |||||
| - hybrid | 87,012 | 110,984 | 154,807 | 258,916 | 375,107 | 537,817 | |||||
| - not specified | 29,426 | 32,432 | 35,184 | 36,820 | 36,947 | 35,959 | |||||
| Inhabitants per passenger car on 1st August (d) | 1.94 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.94 | |||||
| N/A: Not (yet) available. (d) Population figure on 1st January of the year | |||||||||||
Size of the vehicle fleet (2018-2023)
| On 1st August of the year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total vehicle fleet (including motorcycles) | 7,533,172 | 7,614,082 | 7,651,138 | 7,751,422 | 7,796,877 | 7,910,513 | |||||
| Passenger vehicles | 5,853,782 | 5,889,210 | 5,888,589 | 5,927,912 | 5,947,479 | 6,030,700 | |||||
| Busses and coaches | 16,125 | 16,542 | 16,422 | 16,628 | 16,557 | 16,449 | |||||
| Lorries, delivery vans, cross-country vehicles and tank vehicles | 856,096 | 885,487 | 910,356 | 946,427 | 958,553 | 973,447 | |||||
| Tractors (a) | 50,230 | 52,694 | 52,802 | 53,899 | 55,075 | 56,222 | |||||
| Agricultural tractors | 192,187 | 194,399 | 196,504 | 200,332 | 203,472 | 206,405 | |||||
| Specialized vehicles (b) | 74,257 | 76,640 | 78,469 | 80,876 | 82,634 | 85,625 | |||||
| Motorcycles (c) | 490,495 | 499,110 | 507,996 | 525,348 | 533,107 | 541,665 | |||||
| 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.