Feature: Greek drivers shift to electric vehicles, embrace Chinese brands

by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) — Chinese electric vehicles stole the spotlight at Greece’s largest automotive exhibition which opened in Athens on Saturday, reflecting the growing interest of Greeks in electromobility and models made in China.
BYD’s stand was the first at the entrance of the eight-day “Auto Athina 2024” expo, which showcases over 200 new models — conventional running on fossil fuels, hybrid and fully electric — by some 40 exhibitors. Visitors queued to explore the characteristics, design and innovative technologies Chinese electric car manufacturers have to offer.
“We are amazed with the quality of the car, it is a very robust car, feels great on the road,” Grigoris A., a visitor, told Xinhua after a test drive of a Chinese electric car.
He is a big fan of electromobility, he said, adding, “What I have to say is there is no way back to ICE (internal combustion engine cars).”
Grigoris is one of the increasing Greeks who shift to electric vehicles in recent years. Currently, the average age of cars circulating on Greece’s roads is 17.3 years and only 1 in 315 is fully electric, according to data released in August from the Greek Association of Motor Vehicle Importers Representatives (AMVIR).
However, in recent years the sales of electric cars are picking up and in July this year more electric cars than ever were sold in Greece on monthly level (882 units), reaching 7.22 percent monthly market share and a 53.93 percent increase year-on-year.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) followed with 814 units (6.67 percent monthly market share), while sales of all categories of traditional petrol and diesel cars dropped by some 30 percent year-on-year.
More electric vehicles were sold across Greece last year (6,379) than in the previous four years combined (5,872), according to AMVIR data.
Greeks, like other consumers across the world, are now looking for more environmentally friendly means of transportation, weighing the advantages, such as low maintenance and running costs, and concerns of purchasing new energy vehicles, like battery autonomy.
As the price is a key factor in the decision of most Greeks, they take the step seizing incentives given by the Greek government.
Under a series of programs implemented since 2022 Greek consumers receive subsidies of up to 22,500 euros (24,700 U.S. dollars), amounting to about 40 percent of the cost of a new electric vehicle, making the switch more affordable.
“The subsidies are very good in Greece at the moment, but a main concern is infrastructure,” Evangelos Andreakos, one of the exhibition’s visitors, told Xinhua.
Currently driving a conventional car, Andreakos is thinking about buying an electric one, but is worried about battery autonomy while travelling in the countryside or a small Greek island, he said.
In Greece there are now approximately 6,000 public charging points, mainly in major urban centers. The government’s target is to double the number in 2025 and increase them to over 100,000 in 2030.
According to Greece’s national energy and climate plan and the EU’s Green Deal, the aim is to reduce the number of conventional cars on Greek roads over the next six years and increase to 30 percent the share of electric passenger vehicles in new registrations by 2030.
“We must make our lives easier, reduce emissions and create a more beautiful world,” Panos Katris, another visitor of “Auto Athina 2024” said.
Katris is not driving an electric car yet, but is planning to buy one soon and was checking Chinese cars on Saturday.
He was impressed with the high quality and battery autonomy of Chinese models, he said.
Chinese automakers of electric vehicles started entering the Greek market about two years ago and currently Greek consumers can choose among some 10 Chinese electric car brands.
Visitors like Katris and Greek car dealers distributing Chinese cars told Xinhua that a major factor making the Chinese cars more attractive compared to others was the better value for money. They are offering high-quality vehicles with advanced technology and good design at very reasonable prices, appealing to Greek consumers. (1 euro=1.10 U.S. dollar) ■