The transition to electric vehicles is underway, but still requires government support, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades has said.
At the same time, he noted that the goal is to have by 2030 approximately 85,000 electric vehicles on Cypriot roads. However, he acknowledged that this goal depends largely on international developments in the automotive market and particularly on price trends.
Taking stock of the policies and actions implemented by his Ministry in 2025 during a press conference in Nicosia on 16 March, the Minister noted that, although the price of electric cars has fallen in recent years, it has not yet reached levels that make this choice an obvious one for the average consumer.
“The economy has not yet reached the point where the market will shift toward electric vehicles without government intervention,” he noted. According to Vafeades, the cost difference between electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles has narrowed, but it remains significant enough to influence purchasing decisions.
For this reason, he noted, the Department of Road Transport is developing a new subsidy scheme, which will extend through 2030. Unlike previous programs that were part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan and had a time frame ending in 2026, the new plan will provide for annual subsidies for the period until the end of the decade, in line with the Republic of Cyprus’ obligations under the National Energy and Climate Plan.
The Minister noted that in 2025, approximately 2,500 electric vehicle grants were awarded, totaling around 21.5 million euros. “This shows that the effort for the transition to electric vehicles is gradually paying off,” he said.
Regarding the target of 85,000 vehicles, he noted that “approximately 40,000 vehicles are registered in Cyprus each year. If approximately 15,000 electric vehicles are registered annually over the next four years, then we can approach the target,” he explained. At the same time, he noted that market developments remain uncertain, as there is intense activity in China in the electric vehicle sector, while in Europe several major automakers are slowing down their plans.
Vafeades also noted that there is growing interest in hybrid vehicles in Cyprus. As he said, the primary goal of the policy is not solely the number of electric cars, but the reduction of emissions. “If we can reduce emissions through other means, then we can achieve our goal even with a smaller number of electric cars,” he said.
Regarding public charging stations, he noted that a plan based on the Recovery Plan for the development of private charging points is underway, though it was not received as expected. For this reason, strengthening the network through public interventions is being considered, he said.
During the presentation of the report, the Minister emphasized that the Ministry’s policy revolves around four key pillars: faster travel, green transition, better infrastructure, and easier service for citizens.
He also noted that the total budget for 2025 exceeded 500 million, excluding costs for projects undertaken by other ministries.
Regarding passenger traffic he said that it has reached 13.7 million last year, which is a record number, that “demonstrates the hard work that has been done not only in airport management but also in developing the tourism and business model.” He also expressed the hope that this year, despite current events, “will still be a good year and that we will at least reach those levels.”
The Minister also provided data on public passenger transport, which reached 28 million passengers and is trending upward, as he noted.
(Source: CNA)
