According to Regeljelease.nl, the reason for this difference is simple: it is a purely practical consideration. For a delivery van that has to hit the road heavily loaded every day, diesel is often still the only workable option. Electric vans cannot yet adequately match that combination of power and a significant range. Moreover, you also lose a lot of payload capacity because the battery pack makes the vehicle significantly heavier.
Run on young used vehicles from before 2025
Sem Smeenk, founder of Regeljelease.nl, sees that there is currently a high demand for young used diesel vans from before 2025. 'These vans are currently the most sought-after interim solution,' Smeenk explains. 'Vans from before 2025 still have BPM exemption for entrepreneurs. Additionally, these diesel vehicles are still allowed in city centers until 2028 or 2029, depending on the emission class. This way, entrepreneurs buy some extra time before they have to make the final switch to electric.'
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Friesland and Drenthe the last diesel bastions
Data from the RDW shows that entrepreneurs from all over the country are united in their preference for diesel. In almost all municipalities, the percentage of commercial vehicles running on diesel is above 90%. A few municipalities, including Ouder-Amstel and Utrecht, seem to be the exception, but this picture is strongly distorted by a few large national leasing companies that are based there.
Looking at passenger cars, the regional differences are much larger. For example, the diesel engine is virtually a thing of the past in the Randstad, but in the north, the fuel remains popular. In Frisian municipalities such as De Fryske Marren and Achtkarspelen (both 15.8%), a significant portion of the residents still drives a diesel. Also in various Drenthe municipalities, with Westerveld (14.3%) as an outlier, this percentage is well above average. The larger driving distances and the more limited charging infrastructure in these regions keep diesel vehicles in the saddle here longer.
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Electric bus still in its infancy
The electric passenger car has now become a familiar sight, but the electric commercial vehicle still has a long way to go. With a national share of only 3.9% for electric delivery vans (compared to 6.9% for passenger cars), there is still a long way to go.
Although political pressure is increasing, Smeenk sees that electric driving is simply not an option for many entrepreneurs yet. 'We have to be honest: there are still too few affordable electric vans with a serious range and enough pulling power. That is exactly why many entrepreneurs are still quickly purchasing a young diesel van to get through the coming years.'
