Position Papers

Many consumers do not buy new cars. Due to skyrocketing new car prices over the last few years, they now heavily rely on the second- and third-hand market. Second-hand battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are the best financial choice for consumers, brining between €262 and €849/year savings compared to a used
petrol car. But the supply of second-hand BEVs is still low. Hence, electrifying large corporate fleets (representing 60% of new car sales in Europe and with a first ownership period of around four years) can be a game changer to make the BEV transition faster and fairer for consumers.

A consumer-friendly charging ecosystem is a precondition to the mass adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). A growing number of charging stations are popping up in our cities, in parking lots and along EU’s roads. Yet, frustrations are still there when it comes to knowing the price of your charging session in advance, trying to compare offers, juggling between payment methods and facing high prices in certain locations.

In the last years, consumers came across many new challenges from the COVID pandemic, war in Ukraine to the persistent cost-of-living crisis. As a result, their purchasing power and market behaviours have changed significantly. Today, more than ever, they need strong consumer protection legislation and its effective roll out and enforcement to fully benefit from the Single Market. Those are the prerequisites for more consumer trust, without which an improved EU competitiveness cannot become a reality. The upcoming Consumer Agenda will set a vision for the EU consumer policy for the next five years and will directly impact any developments in this area that have a potential to deliver to consumers.