Nearly 8 in 10 drivers sometimes deliberately leave their car at home

© CBS / Alrik Swagerman
In 2020, 78 percent of Dutch car drivers aged 18 and over said they sometimes deliberately left their car at home. For most of them the main reason was to get more exercise. Sixteen percent did so particularly to contribute to a better environment or climate. This is according to the Perceptions 2020 survey conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

More than 3.6 thousand inhabitants of the Netherlands aged 18 and over were interviewed for the Perceptions survey between February and June 2020. They were asked what they thought and what they were doing about climate change and the energy transition. The survey had been under way for several weeks when the coronavirus crisis broke out. The coronavirus crisis and subsequent measures may have influenced the respondents' answers.

Environment or climate often not the main reason for leaving car at home

Almost half (48 percent) of the drivers who sometimes left their car at home said they did so mostly to get more exercise. Sixteen percent did so for a better environment or climate. A further 16 percent said that in some cases it was easier not to take the car. Fewer than 10 percent cited a different reason, such as saving money or traffic congestion.

Usual reason for deliberately leaving the car at home sometimes, 2020
 % of drivers who deliberately leave their car at home sometimes
More exercise48.4
Contribute to better environment or climate 16.3
Easier15.7
Save money9.4
Traffic congestion3.5
Other reason6.7

Small proportion of households considering buying an electric car

In addition to the question of whether drivers sometimes deliberately left their car at home, the Perceptions 2020 survey also asked whether households were planning to buy an electric car. Two percent of households said they had definite plans to buy or lease a fully electric car in the next two years, while 6 percent said they might do so. More than half (54 percent) said they would do so mainly for the sake of the environment or climate. Twenty-two percent cited cost savings as the main or sole reason for buying or considering an electric car.

Reasons for buying or leasing (or considering) an electric car in the next two years, 2020
 Main (or only) reason (% of households planning to buy or lease (or considering) an electric car in the next two years)A reason but not the main one (% of households planning to buy or lease (or considering) an electric car in the next two years)
Contribute to better
environment or climate
54.522.1
Save money22.212.1
No dependence on
fossil fuels, such as
petroleum and natural gas
7.721.5
No car tax or low additional tax8.414.5
Pleasant to drive1.39.2
Other reason3.00.3
No reason/no main reason3.0

Cost is the main reason for not buying an electric car

Of the households planning to buy a car in the next two years, but not opting for an electric car, the most frequently cited reason was high cost (63 percent). The inability to drive long distances on a full charge was also frequently mentioned (41 percent). Reasons mentioned less frequently were the lack of sufficient charging stations (17 percent) and the long charging time (15 percent).

There were almost 200 thousand plug-in cars in the Netherlands at the beginning of 2020. That includes fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Over half of these cars were fully electric. That amounts to 2.3 percent of the total number of cars on the road. In 2014, the figure was 0.4 percent. At the beginning of last year 0.6 percent of private households had a fully electric or plug-in hybrid car.

Four out of 10 people agree with current daytime speed limit on motorways

By reducing the speed limit on motorways the government aims to improve the environment or climate. Forty-one percent of the population aged 18 and over agree with the daytime speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour on Dutch motorways. Just over half want to drive faster during the daytime, however: Nine percent want 110 kilometres per hour, 24 percent want 120 kilometres per hour and 15 percent want 130 kilometres per hour. Three percent want a speed limit of more than 130 kilometres per hour or no speed limit at all.

Preferred daytime speed limit on Dutch motorways, 2020
Categorie% of persons aged 18 yrs and over
90 kilometres per hour or less2.8
100 kilometres per hour40.6
110 kilometres per hour9.4
120 kilometres per hour24.3
130 kilometres per hour15.3
More than 130 kilometres per hour1.4
No speed limit1.2
Don't know5.2