Greece is currently lagging behind in electric vehicle sector development, both in terms of policies and infrastructure, Giorgos Ageridis, president of the Hellenic Institute of Electric Vehicles (HELIEV), locally acronymed ELINHO, has told energypress in an exclusive interview.

Current economic conditions in Greece do not allow for ambitious planning, which is subduing the electric car market’s development as well as a switch by drivers from conventional models to electric vehicles, the HELIEV chied pointed out.

Moves to help spur electric vehicle market grow could include a series of incentives such as financial support, tax deductions, higher taxes on greenhouse gas-emitting fuels, access to restricted traffic areas, parking priveledges and wider recharging station development, Ageridis said.

The ongoing support for electric vehicle market growth being offered in other countries is aimed at achieving a series of environmental, energy and economic growth targets, the HELIEV president explained, adding that such an approach was not being adopted in Greece. Instead, economic and tax incentives are the focus in Greece, he said.

The lack of a national strategy for electric vehicle market growth, electric car disadvantages, including the lack of recharging stations, have kept sales of new electric cars at extremely low levels, Ageridis pointed out.