Major Developments in 2024

In 2024, there was a change in electric vehicle the sales with figures not increasing for the first time since their introduction. In contrast, the market share of electric heavy trucks reached a new high of 11.6%.

Vehicle Market
Like other European countries, the Swiss car market faced challenging conditions in 2024, leading to a 5% decline in total sales. The share of plug-in vehicles dropped from 30.1% in 2023 to 28.0%, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) having sales shares of 19.3% and 8.7%, respectively. Despite this, the share of alternative drive technologies hit a new high of 62%, driven by the rise of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

EV sales in Switzerland were not affected by the discontinuation of subsidies as incentives were never available at the national level. The main reason for the stagnation is attributed to the lack of home charging options for tenants in apartment buildings. There are still fewer affordable electric models on the market compared to conventional cars. Owing to the continued exemption of trucks with alternative drives from the heavy vehicle charge (toll), the total cost of ownership for many logistics companies in Switzerland is the lowest for electric trucks. The market share of electric trucks reached 11.6% in 2024, the highest in Europe.

Regulatory Framework
The Swiss parliament ratified the revision of the CO2 Act. The carbon emission targets for 2025 (93.6 g CO2 /km) and 2030 (49.5 g CO2 /km) were tightened in line with the EU. A proposed programme for charging infrastructure in apartment buildings, however, was rejected. The Federal Act on Secure Electricity Supply from Renewable Energy Sources was adopted in a national referendum in June 2024 and came into force in January 2025. This ensures the provision of electricity for the expansion of electric mobility and shall enable a better compensation of flexibility, for instance, provided by smart charging. The reimbursement of grid charges for electricity reinjected into the grid from (car) batteries is worth mentioning, as this should render vehicle-to-grid (V2G) economically more attractive.

Demonstration Projects

Charging Optimisation for Logistic Fleet Operators
The rapid electrification of logistics fleets, driven by favourable total ownership costs for electric vehicles, necessitates new fleet operation and charging management approaches. DPD, with industry and academic partners, is optimising charging to reduce electricity costs and maximise local renewable integration. This is first implemented at their small Wolf site in Basel, part of a local energy community. Using predictive load management, bidirectional charging, and second-life battery storage, local electricity use is optimised, avoiding demand peaks and potential grid reinforcements.

Wireless (Inductive) Charging
The local utility ENIWA is piloting wireless charging with WiTricity and other partners. Stationary wireless charging enhances the electric driving experience by eliminating the need to plug and unplug vehicles. Initially tested in car-sharing settings, where users often forget to plug-in cars, it will later be used at taxi ranks and with automated driving. Both the car receiver and charging station comply with electromagnetic compatibility regulations. An ongoing field study is assessing user acceptance.

Sector Insights

Home charging access is crucial for EV purchases. Most Swiss residents are tenants in apartment buildings, relying on landlords for infrastructure. Installing load management and wiring in large underground car parks is costly. Although national subsidies are unavailable, some cantons offer local funding. Public charging stations (AC/DC) are increasing with EV fleet growth.

The rise of heavy-duty electric trucks is increasing demand for specific charging infrastructure. Switzerland’s short daily distances make it ideal for electrifying road freight transport. Surveys and workshops indicate depot charging will dominate, with public fast charging and charging at logistic hubs and business partners. Heavy truck charging needs (in kWh) align with daily mileage (in km). Large fleet sites requiring overnight depot charging will need grid reinforcements. In 2024, 4.8 million cars were registered on Swiss roads. The 216’759 BEVs make up 4.5% of the car fleet, the 104’003 PHEVs a further 2.2%. Together with HEVs, alternative drives account for 14.7 % of the car fleet. Despite the slightly lower sales in 2024, the share of plug-in vehicles on the road continued to grow.

Outlook

Switzerland continues its efforts to decarbonise the transport system. Numerous measures are in place, notably the electrification of vehicles and the promotion of the shift to more sustainable transportation modes. While the market for early adopters was saturated quite quickly, a further expansion of electromobility to a more price-sensitive majority depends much on the available car models and the individual charging situation.

While electric mobility has been largely exempt from road taxes at various levels, the growing share of electric vehicles is leading to significant shortfalls in road financing soon. For heavy trucks, the exemption of road taxes is currently the main driver for the rapid electrification. Electric vehicles will have to contribute their share to road financing in the future, but the introduction of such taxes must be carefully planned so as not to choke off the further expansion of electric mobility.

In late 2025, the Federal Roads Office will invite tenders for fast-charging infrastructure along major freeways. High Power Charging (HPC) will dominate truck charging, with Megawatt Charging (MCS) mainly for transit freight. Truck parking space and power grid capacity are key challenges.