Vehicle stock

7.5% of passenger cars are electric

Mobility
7.5% of passenger cars are electric

On 1 August 2022, there were 5,947,479 passenger cars in Belgium, compared to 5,927,912 a year earlier. This is a 0.3% increase. The number of passenger cars has increased by 0.8% on average over the last ten years. This is what emerged from the new figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office.

Hybrid cars currently account for 6.3% of the passenger vehicle fleet and have greatly passed the 350,000 car mark: 375,107 hybrid cars compared to only 258,916 in 2021 (+45%).

The number of fully electric passenger cars has increased by 75% (71,651) and gas cars by 11% (17,740).

Since 2015, the number of diesel passenger cars has been decreasing a little faster every year. In 2022, there were 7.6% fewer diesel cars than a year earlier. So, on 1 August, there were 2,424,932 diesel cars. Simultaneously, the number of petrol cars continues to increase (+2.3% in 2022) and stands at 3,021,102 units. Petrol cars now account for 50.8% of the passenger car fleet, against 40.8% for diesel.

Besides passenger cars, Belgium has 16,557 buses and coaches, 958,553 commercial vehicles for the transport of goods, 55,075 tractors, 203,472 agricultural tractors and 82,634 special motor vehicles. Furthermore, 533,107 motorcycles are registered in Belgium, bringing the total of the vehicle fleet to 7,796,877 units.

Evolution of the vehicle fleet 2021-2022

On 1st August of the year 2021 2022 2022/2021
Total vehicle fleet (including motorcycles) 7,751,422 7,796,877 +0.6%
Passenger vehicles 5,927,912 5,947,479 +0.3%
- petrol 2,951,770 3,021,102 +2.3%
- diesel 2,623,556 2,424,932 -7.6%
- gas 15,999 17,740 +10.9%
- with an electric motor 40,851 71,651 +75.4%
- hybrid 258,916 375,107 +44.9%
- not specified 36,820 36,947 +0.3%
Buses and coaches 16,628 16,557 -0.4%
Lorries, delivery vans, cross-country vehicles and tank vehicles 946,427 958,553 +1.3%
Tractors (a) 53,899 55,075 +2.2%
Agricultural tractors 200,332 203,472 +1.6%
Specialized vehicles (b) 80,876 82,634 +2.2%
Motorcycles (c) 525,348 533,107 +1.5%
Inhabitants per passenger car on 1st August (d) 1.9 2.0 +0.5%
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.
(d) Population figure on 1st January of the year
Table 1
Content

Size of the vehicle fleet (2018-2022)

On 1st August of the year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Passenger vehicles 5,853,782 5,889,210 5,888,589 5,927,912 5,947,479
- petrol 2,518,942 2,709,604 2,843,903 2,951,770 3,021,102
- diesel 3,193,658 3,005,928 2,815,755 2,623,556 2,424,932
- gas 15,500 14,924 14,957 15,999 17,740
- with an electric motor 9,244 15,338 23,983 40,851 71,651
- hybrid 87,012 110,984 154,807 258,916 375,107
- not specified 29,426 32,432 35,184 36,820 36,947
Inhabitants per passenger car on 1st August (d) 1.94 1.94 1.95 1.94 1.95
N/A: Not (yet) available.
(d) Population figure on 1st January of the year
Table 2
Content

Size of the vehicle fleet (2018-2022)

On 1st August of the year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total vehicle fleet (including motorcycles) 7,533,172 7,614,082 7,651,138 7,751,422 7,796,877
Passenger vehicles 5,853,782 5,889,210 5,888,589 5,927,912 5,947,479
Busses and coaches 16,125 16,542 16,422 16,628 16,557
Lorries, delivery vans, cross-country vehicles and tank vehicles 856,096 885,487 910,356 946,427 958,553
Tractors (a) 50,230 52,694 52,802 53,899 55,075
Agricultural tractors 192,187 194,399 196,504 200,332 203,472
Specialized vehicles (b) 74,257 76,640 78,469 80,876 82,634
Motorcycles (c) 490,495 499,110 507,996 525,348 533,107
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.
Dashboard
Content

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.