Number of Electric Cars Steadily Increasing in Hungary

According to the Future Mobility Association, 0.79% of the total car fleet was pure electric at the end of October 2022, compared to 0.47% in 2021 and 0.29% in October 2020.

A statement by the association says that 32,596 electric cars were in operation in the country in October this year, while the number of publicly available charging stations increased by 25% compared to last year, bringing the total to 2,031 nationwide by the end of the first quarter of this year, and almost doubling the number of stations compared to 2020.

The association's experts have also calculated that, although electricity has become more expensive, it is still cheaper to drive an electric car than to use conventional fuels. The average consumption of a 15-year-old car of average age in Hungary is 8.27 liters per 100 kilometers. This means that a petrol car can cover 100 kilometers for HUF 5,100, while this cost for a diesel car is HUF 5,780, according to the example.

If the same distance is covered by an electric car, the cost is HUF 660 at reduced prices and HUF 1,190 at market prices, based on an average consumption of 17 kWh. The same distance can be covered with electricity from a public rapid charger for an average of HUF 2,320 and HUF 3,230 for an electric charger.

However, experts from the Future Mobility Alliance pointed out that there are large differences between the charging options offered by different operators and poles, for example, registration, subscription or cash top-ups can lead to significant savings when using public chargers.