Norway has come top of a survey of incentives granted for buying an electric car, carried out by UK insurance comparison site, GoCompare.
Norway and France best for electric incentives
It comes as hardly a surprise that Norway tops the chart - the country has been synonymous with electric car sales for some time - but France equals it in losing only a single point on the survey.
GoCompare awarded each country a point if it offered such incentives as purchase grants, registration tax reductions, ownership tax benefits, company tax benefits, VAT reductions, other financial incentives, local incentives such as cheaper parking or tolls, and infrastructure incentives, such as a grant for installing a home chargers.
Ireland comes fifth in the table
Out of those, France and Norway only miss out on one each. Norway doesn't offer a purchase subsidy, while France doesn't give you 'other financial benefits.'
Ireland came fifth in the table, just behind Germany and Iceland. Out of the various categories, we miss out on offering VAT benefits, or 'other financial incentives.'
The worst-performing were Croatia (which only offers a reduced tax based on CO2 emissions); Lichtenstein (which only offers cash off the purchase price); Poland (which makes electric cars free from purchase tax); and Turkey (which reduces VAT on electric cars by 90 per cent).
Bus lane use and free parking
Some countries offer more than just purchase or tax incentives. In Lithuania, electric cars can use the bus lanes in the capital city, Vilnius. Slovakia offers parking discounts. Greece exempts electric cars from its 'luxury car tax.' Sweden chops your income tax if you buy electric. Latvia offers free parking in Riga and Liepaja, as well as bus-lane usage. Hungary won't charge you for parking when you're charging. Spain gives you free road tolls, free parking in some cities, and access to car-pool lanes. Denmark gives you some free parking, while in Belgium you can put 75 per cent of your parking charges against your income tax. Austria offers free parking in major cities, while in the UK you can avoid the London Congestion Charge, and get some free parking. Portugal gives you free parking in Lisbon, and discounts on your home electricity bill, while in Malta you avoid the Valetta congestion charge and can use priority vehicle lanes.
In Germany you don't have to declare charging at work as a benefit in kind, while in Norway they'll even throw in some free ferry rides. France, meanwhile, allows you to claim back the VAT on your electricity.