Electric car bonus
There are different opinions about who should be eligible for a subsidy to buy an electric car and how much the subsidy should be.
When the previous climate bonus was abolished at the end of 2022, it was met with criticism from both environmental associations and automotive industry associations. A new electric car premium was proposed in 2025, which had to be revised after criticism from the EU. The new requirements include, among other things, that you live in a rural community, live in an area with limited access to public transport and have a household income of up to 80 percent of the average income. M Sweden wants, among other things, an expansion of the premium and points out that large population groups are left out.
Mileage tax
Iceland has introduced it and Great Britain is about to do so – a mileage tax for electric cars. This is because fuel tax revenue has declined as fewer people opt for petrol and diesel and switch to electric cars instead. At the same time, the road network must be preserved, it was said. In Iceland you pay the equivalent of 50 Swedish öre per kilometer, in Great Britain, where such a tax could be planned in 2028, there is talk of just over 20 öre per kilometer. Discussions are also underway in Norway.
There are still no political decisions or major discussions about introducing such a tax in Sweden, but the issue has been studied and experts have concluded that it is likely to be introduced here too. IVL The Swedish Environmental Institute examined Swedish experts’ views on a mileage tax for passenger cars. The panel included around 20 researchers, politicians and representatives from business and organizations.
– Most respondents assume that a distance-based tax will be introduced within ten years. The main reason for this is electrification, as an increased share of electric cars and plug-in hybrids will lead to tax losses through fuel taxes that need to be offset, said deputy project manager Cecilia Hult in 2019.
Poor road maintenance
The Swedish Transport Administration has pointed out that there are maintenance debts around our roads, but believes that investments should pay off these debts later. Road maintenance allocations have been increased for 2025 and further increased road maintenance allocations are foreseen in the national infrastructure plan for 2026-2037.
Industry organizations such as Transportföretagen and Svenskt Näringsliv have highlighted the impact on transport and the economy, among other things, and believe that investment in our roads is needed in the long term and that sustained interest is important regardless of which parties are in power.
The prices of fuel
The reduction obligation, i.e. the amount of renewable fuels that suppliers must legally add to gasoline and diesel, has been reduced in recent years. Combined with a reduced fuel tax, this has resulted in lower fuel prices. So whether one party wants to lower or raise the price at the pump and thereby raise or lower it is clearly an interesting question for the fossil fuel car-caring public. Of course, the climate perspective also comes into play here, regardless of whether you as a voter believe that the tax should be reduced or increased to reduce traffic and emissions.
Scrappage bonus
Anyone who scrapped an older car with a combustion engine and purchased a used or new electric car instead could apply for a scrappage bonus of SEK 25,000 until the end of October 2025. This premium was increased from 10,000 to 25,000 crowns in the spring in order to accelerate interest accrual.
However, according to housing authority statistics, there was no major interest in it and only about 10 percent of the allocated funds were used. It is unclear whether and, if so, which one will replace this bonus. Organizations like M Sweden believe that “the only sensible way to rejuvenate the vehicle fleet is a scrappage scheme without the obligation to buy an electric car. This would benefit both the environment and road safety.”
