The spread of electric vehicles in Switzerland is being hindered by a lack of harmonization in taxation and incentives across different cantons, according to a study by online portal Autoscout24. The study found that each canton, and even individual municipalities, have varying levels of support for the purchase of electric vehicles and the expansion of charging infrastructure. The authors suggest harmonizing the calculation of taxes and allowing each canton to determine the level of tax and potential electric vehicle discounts. However, many cantons are resistant to this idea, making it difficult for nationwide promotion of electric vehicles with potential discounts.

The Greater Zurich Area has become a hub for Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers, thanks to its affluent population. The number of electric vehicles on Swiss roads has been increasing year by year, with battery-electric vehicles accounting for 19.8% of all new registrations as of September. However, pure electric vehicles make up only 3.3% of the total number of registered passenger cars, with gasoline vehicles still dominating at 62% and diesel vehicles at 26.8%.

The study also revealed significant differences in the adoption of electric vehicles between cantons. The canton of Zug, known for its low taxes, has the highest proportion of electric vehicles in its vehicle fleet at 6.8%. This is attributed to the high purchasing power and well-developed public and private charging infrastructure in the region. Basel-Stadt and Geneva also have a high density of public charging stations and a financially influential population, contributing to the adoption of electric vehicles.

Zurich, the largest financial center in Switzerland, showed a strong demand for electric vehicles and had the highest number of searches for electric cars on AutoScout24. It is also the canton with the highest number of electric vehicles listed for sale on the platform.