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Denmark has long sought to brand itself as one of the world’s greenest countries. So it may come as a surprise that it’s also one of the most expensive places on Earth to buy Teslas and other electric cars.
Under existing Danish law, a Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) model 3 Long Range will cost almost $100,000 next year (with all the trimmings); more than a fifth of that price tag comes from an extra tax, according to data compiled by Berlingske.
On Monday, a government-appointed panel is due to present its recommendations for how to shift Danish buyers over to electric cars and away from petrol-powered vehicles. Proposals are expected to include lower overall auto taxes; instead, Danes face new road and emissions taxes.
Denmark collects about 50 billion kroner ($8 billion) annually in taxes from car sales. A majority in parliament has signaled a willingness to accept lower revenues if it means more consumers can afford electric cars.
Green Dreams
The Social Democrat government has staked its reputation on pushing through legislation that represents a paradigm shift in terms of protecting the environment. In June, lawmakers struck an historic deal to cut carbon emissions by 70% by 2030, from 1990 levels.
Denmark Strikes Historic Climate Deal to Slash Emissions
To reach that goal, which is considerably more ambitious than the European Union’s 40% target over the same period, more Danes need to buy cars that pollute less.
But there’s a very long way to go. Though electric-vehicle sales have risen, they still make up less than 1% of the country’s 2.7 million registered vehicles, according to the Association of Danish Car Importers.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
