Traffic performance motor vehicles; kilometres, type of vehicle, territory

Traffic performance motor vehicles; kilometres, type of vehicle, territory

Types of vehicle Periods Kilometres in the Netherlands Kilometres by Dutch vehicles (million km) Kilometres by Dutch vehicles Total kilometres by Dutch vehicles (million km) Kilometres by Dutch vehicles Kilometres in the Netherlands (million km) Kilometres by Dutch vehicles Kilometres abroad (million km)
Total motor vehicles 2021* 118,180.4 133,618.1 118,180.4 15,437.8
Passenger car 2021* 92,812.0 104,473.4 92,812.0 11,661.4
Delivery van 2021* 18,078.4 18,831.7 18,078.4 753.3
Lorry (road tractor not included) 2021* 1,866.4 2,347.5 1,866.4 481.1
Road tractor 2021* 4,544.0 6,872.0 4,544.0 2,328.1
Special purpose vehicle 2021* 403.8 596.5 403.8 192.7
Bus 2021* . 497.0 . .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table contains figures on traffic performance (vehicle-kilometres) of passenger cars, delivery vans, lorries, semi-trailers, special purpose vehicles and buses. Vehicle-kilometres of Dutch vehicles have been broken down by Dutch vehicles on Dutch territory and Dutch vehicles on foreign territory.

In addition, there are figures on the total distance covered on Dutch territory. A distinction is made between kilometres covered by Dutch vehicles and kilometres by foreign vehicles.

The vehicle population used to estimate the kilometres is based on the vehicle fleet statistics. The population of the figures in this table is based on the new selection method of the vehicle fleet. The difference between the old and the new selection method is described in a methodological report, see paragraph 4. The data series of vehicle kilometres estimated for the new population is available starting from 2018. The data series based on the old population ends with 2020. The way in which the vehicle kilometres are estimated has not changed, only the population.

For the 2020 data a correction factor was implemented to correct for the ‘smoothing effect’ caused by the method. The smoothing effect smoothes out yearly variation in the data and this results in a distorted picture of periods of time when mobility patterns suddenly change drastically, like happened in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Data available from:2018

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table up to and including 2019 are definitive. Figures over 2020 and 2021 have a provisional status.

Changes as of 4 November 2022:
None, this is a new table.

When will new figures be published?
New figures are expected to be released by end of 2023.

Description topics

Kilometres in the Netherlands
The total distance travelled (in km) in the Netherlands by vehicles with a Dutch registration plate and vehicles with foreign registration plates.
Kilometres by Dutch vehicles
Kilometres by Dutch vehicles
The total distance travelled (in km) in the Netherlands and abroad by vehicles with a Dutch registration plate.
Total kilometres by Dutch vehicles
The total distance travelled (in km) in the Netherlands and abroad by vehicles with a Dutch registration plate.
Kilometres in the Netherlands
Kilometres abroad
To calculate the total traffic performance of delivery vans on Dutch roads, it is necessary to estimate the traffic performance of foreign delivery vans in the Netherlands. In the absence of data on foreign delivery vans, it has been assumed that this concerns mainly border traffic. That is why the traffic performance of foreign delivery vans in the Netherlands is set equal to the traffic performance of Dutch delivery vans abroad.