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In 2024, Switzerland passed the milestone of 300,000 plug-in vehicles, cutting CO₂ emissions and fossil fuel use. How does this affect the country’s electricity consumption?
Switzerland is making great progress in the transition to electromobility: 2024 was a record year for plug-in vehicles. For the first time, more than 300,000 plug-in cars are cruising over the Swiss mountain roads and through city traffic – of which over 210,000 are purely electric vehicles.
Considering a total of 4.8 million registered passenger cars, it's clear: electromobility is not just a trend, but the future.
EVs are here to stay – and are slowly but surely conquering the roads. Plug-in vehicles (xEVs) now make up 6.67% of the total Swiss vehicle fleet, divided into:
6.67% might not sound like much at first – but the impact on annual emissions and energy consumption is already significant.
Cars with plugs are not just a «nice to have». They are a real gamechanger in terms of air pollution. A Wheel-to-Wheel analysis (WTW) – a calculation of emissions from energy production to road use – shows that EVs saved around 0.48 million tons of CO₂ in Switzerland in 2024. According to the latest available data (2022), Swiss cars emit 10.22 million tons of CO₂ annually.
Have you heard that electric cars overload the power grid? Don't worry! Despite more electric cars, the EV electricity consumption remains minimal compared to Switzerland's total energy demand. In 2024, the total consumption of all Swiss xEVs (electrified vehicles, including plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars) was 500 GWh. Sounds like a lot? Compared to the total electricity production of 66,679 GWh (2023) and a national consumption of 56,067 GWh, it's really just a drop: xEVs account for less than 1% of total electricity consumption. So, your fridge will keep running even if your neighbor charges their new electric car.
One of the most impressive impacts of growing e-mobility: the decline in gasoline and diesel consumption. In 2024, of the total 4.8 million passenger cars in Switzerland, 4.5 million were combustion engines and 0.3 million were xEVs. With 4.8 million combustion engines, annual gasoline consumption would have been 180-200 million liters higher. That corresponds to 6.5–7% of Switzerland's total gasoline consumption in 2023. Not bad for 300,000 xEVs and less than 1% of the power grid, right?
What's next? Even more e-mobility, of course! The numbers prove: Even a small share of EVs has a big impact. This should motivate all stakeholders – politics, industry, and consumers – to continue expanding. Specifically, this means:
1. More Charging Infrastructure – because no one likes «range anxiety»
2. More Incentives – tax breaks, subsidies, free parking while charging
3. Better Battery Technology – more kilometers per charge, please!
If Switzerland maintains this pace, the future will be cleaner, quieter, and above all, electric. According to our vision: Driving a Greener Tomorrow.
The facts speak for themselves: More electric cars = fewer emissions and less fuel consumption. Whether you're an electromobility enthusiast or a fan of clean air – one thing is clear: The future is electric.
(26.03.2025)
Data sources: Calculations based on average car consumption according to the WLTP driving cycle from the MOFIS (ASTRA) database, evaluated by Swisscharge. Annual mileage: 10,400 km according to BFS statistics. Emission factors, well-to-tank emissions, and energy efficiency come from BAFU data.