Electric car number targets: of 6, 3 came true on time; the Netherlands reached four times its goal
- Netherlands: 20,000 by 2015450%
- Netherlands: 200,000, 2020148%
- China: 5 million by 2020105%
- China: 500,000 by 201582%
- Korea: 1.13 million by 202581%
- India: 6 million a year2%
Fact at the deadline, % of the target
Of 6, 3 came true on time; the Netherlands reached four times its goal.
By 2015 the Netherlands had about 90,000 electric cars against a goal of 20,000. China sold 5.23 million by 2020 against 5 million. India sold 126,000 in 2020 against 6 million a year.
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In the 2010s governments named how many electric cars the country would have by a given year. Here are six such goals of four countries and how much of each was reached by the deadline.
A row is one promise: who, what and by when. The question is whether at least half came true. Answer Yes or No, or just open the answer: each row gets its outcome and what actually came of it, the card a stamp counting those that came true. Quotes and links to the facts are below.
- Netherlands: 20,000 by 2015 — Government of the Netherlands, 2011 BEV+PHEV stock (cars and vans)
promised 20,000 by 2015; fact 89,902 (450%). About 90,000 EVs by end-2015, more than four times the target.
- Netherlands: 200,000, 2020 — Government of the Netherlands, 2011 BEV+PHEV stock (cars and vans)
promised 200,000 by 2020; fact 296,130 (148%). About 296,000 EVs by end-2020; 200,000 was passed in 2019.
- China: 5 million by 2020 — State Council of China, 2012 cumulative BEV+PHEV sales since 2010 (cars, buses, vans, trucks)
promised 5,000,000 by 2020; fact 5,226,159 (105%). About 5.23 million vehicles had been sold by end-2020.
- China: 500,000 by 2015 — State Council of China, 2012 cumulative BEV+PHEV sales since 2010 (cars, buses, vans, trucks)
promised 500,000 by 2015; fact 410,920 (82%). About 411,000 vehicles had been sold by end-2015 — 82% of 500,000; 500,000 was passed in 2016.
- Korea: 1.13 million by 2025 — Government of the Republic of Korea, 2020 battery-electric vehicle stock: cars, buses, vans, trucks
promised 1,130,000 by 2025; fact 914,000 (81%). About 914,000 electric vehicles by end-2025, 81% of 1.13 million.
- India: 6 million a year — Department of Heavy Industry, India, 2013 BEV+PHEV sales, all modes including two- and three-wheelers
promised 6,000,000 by 2020; fact 126,343 (2%). About 126,000 EVs of all types were sold in 2020, and about 2.3 million in 2025.
Goals: verbatim from the plans of the governments of China, the Netherlands, Korea and India. Fact: International Energy Agency, Global EV Data Explorer, and national statistics, linked on the back for each row. Outcome: «came true» — the promised number reached by the deadline («about» within 5%), an event happened before the end of the year promised; «exceeded» — with room to spare; «nearly» — short by no more than 10%; «late» — reached, but after the deadline; «did not come true» — not reached; «came true, then undone» — reached, then reversed. The deadline is the end of the year named.
The goals count differently: China, cars sold since 2010; the Netherlands and Korea, cars on the road; India, sales in the year, including ordinary hybrids and two- and three-wheelers. India’s goal included ordinary hybrids, which are not in the series. China missed 500,000 in 2015 and passed it a year later.
A question for this picture
Why do some countries beat their electric car goals while others reach not even a tenth?