The revolution in electrified mobility finds Europe more ready than ever, while Italy – despite a slight improvement – still lags behind the leading nations. Low-environmental-impact vehicles have never been so affordable and, partly thanks to government incentives, registrations are steadily rising. These are some of the findings that emerge from LeasePlan's EV Readiness Index 2021, an in-depth analysis of the state of readiness of 22 European countries ahead of the electrified vehicle revolution.

Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom lead on electrified mobility

The Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom continue to top the ranking of the most advanced countries in Europe, with Italy improving slightly, moving from seventeenth to fifteenth place. A certain disparity between western and eastern Europe remains, but among the good news is the ever-greater affordability of low-emission vehicles: in as many as eleven countries they are already cheaper than their internal combustion engine counterparts, based on total cost of ownership. In Austria, Greece, Ireland, Poland, the United Kingdom and Hungary, drivers of "green" vehicles pay no tax at all, while at the European average a 37% saving on taxes is recorded.

All of this inevitably has repercussions on the market, with electrified cars continuing to gain share at the expense of those with traditional powertrains. The latest report from Acea – the European association grouping vehicle manufacturers – covering new registrations recorded in the fourth quarter of last year, highlights that electric and plug-in hybrid cars reached a market share of 16.5 per cent. Looking at the whole of 2020, sales of petrol cars nearly halved (from 9.2 million to 5.7 million), while diesel sales fell from 4.8 to 3.1 million; at the same time, full-hybrid and mild-hybrid cars posted a 53.1 per cent increase compared with 2019, and electric and plug-in cars a remarkable +143.8 per cent.

Beyond Zero: Toyota wants to go further than reducing emissions

On the market front, Toyota wants to push Beyond Zero, beyond zero emissions, confirming its role as a leader in electrification that began over twenty years ago with the introduction of the first hybrid car. By 2025, the Japanese manufacturer aims to launch a total of 40 electrified vehicles, considering both new models and evolutions of existing ones featuring new powertrains. Toyota currently offers cars with all four electrified powertrains (full hybrid, plug-in hybrid, full electric and hydrogen fuel cell) in order to provide the most suitable solution for different drivers' needs. Technologies – capable of combining mobility and sustainability – that have been on the market since 1997, and improved over time through constant research and targeted investment.

Four different electrified powertrains: here are the differences

Such is the case with the fourth-generation full hybrid technology, which already allows 17 million drivers around the world to travel in cities in electric mode for 50 per cent of the time, alternating it with petrol power so they have the freedom not to have to stop and recharge. Or with plug-in hybrid vehicles, which offer the advantages of the hybrid range but with superior performance and the ability to travel longer in electric mode; rechargeable from a domestic power socket or at a charging point, they can cover up to 75 kilometres with no emissions and no fuel consumption, while on longer journeys they automatically switch to the electric-petrol system.

Toyota's latest-generation full electric vehicles, on the other hand, can be recharged in just 30 minutes. Among the advantages they offer is the ability to drive them in restricted traffic zones as well, given that they use no fuel and produce no emissions; at the same time, they offer lower running costs than a traditional vehicle. Over the next five years, the Japanese manufacturer will launch at least ten new vehicles with this technology, starting with the Proace Electric, a van capable of offering 300 kilometres of range without polluting. The next step towards zero-emission driving is finally represented by vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Rather than being powered by electricity stored in a battery, they generate electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that takes place inside the fuel cells: the result – first tested in 2014 on the Mirai, which has now reached its second generation – is a simple and fast refuelling process, a driving range of up to 650 kilometres and no emissions into the environment apart from water. An extremely flexible technology, which Toyota is also testing beyond the automotive world on lorries, buses and ships.