Dutch subsidies for heavy EV charging, zero-emission trucks and touring coaches: SPULA, AanZET & STour

As part of its broader strategy to accelerate zero-emission mobility, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) is offering multiple financial support schemes in 2026 to stimulate the transition to electric and emission-free transport. These complement each other by targeting key elements of decarbonisation: charging infrastructure, vehicle acquisition, and touring coach electrification.

1. SPULA: Subsidy for public charging infrastructure for heavy electric vehicles

The Subsidieregeling Publieke Laadinfrastructuur zwaar vervoer (SPULA) supports companies and organisations in installing publicly accessible charging infrastructure capable of serving heavy electric vehicles such as trucks and buses. This scheme aims to fill critical gaps in the charging network, enabling long-distance and freight transport to operate on electric power.

Key characteristics of SPULA:

• Application period: 3 February – 18 December 2026.
• Budget: €14.5 million in 2026.
• Eligibility: Entrepreneurs registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) with charging locations that are always publicly accessible and meet infrastructure and grid connection criteria.
• Support: Subsidy covers up to ~20% of eligible costs with fixed amounts per charging station (e.g., for ultra-fast chargers) and additional contributions per kWh of battery storage.
• Impact: Contributes to a denser network of strategic charging points along logistics routes and transport hubs.

2. AanZET: Purchase subsidy for zero-emission trucks

The Aanschafsubsidie Zero-Emissie Trucks (AanZET) encourages companies to acquire new zero-emission trucks. This purchase subsidy reduces the financial hurdle of adopting fully electric or hydrogen-powered heavy trucks by reimbursing a percentage of the vehicle’s purchase price.

Salient features of AanZET:

• Coverage: Trucks in vehicle classes N2 (≥ 10,000 kg) or N3.
• Subsidy design: Varies by company size and vehicle category; smaller enterprises receive higher subsidy percentages.
• Conditions: Trucks must be new and fully zero-emission at the time of application, with no prior registration in the RDW vehicle register.
• Application: Typically open early in the year; decisions are made once the national budget appropriation is approved.
• Outcomes: Helps accelerate fleet electrification in logistics and commercial transport by making zero-emission trucks more financially accessible.

By lowering the cost differential between diesel and zero-emission trucks, the scheme not only supports climate goals but also prepares fleets for regulatory trends such as zero-emission zones and carbon pricing.

3. STour: Subsidy for electric touring coaches

The Subsidie emissieloze touringcars (STour) scheme provides financial support for purchasing fully emission-free touring coaches. It targets both traditional touring car operators and public transport concession holders that deploy electric coaches for passenger transport, excursions, or intercity services.

Core aspects of STour:

• Eligibility: Businesses and organisations registered in the Netherlands investing in new battery-electric touring coaches (vehicle category M3).
• Subsidy structure: A percentage of the additional cost of an electric coach compared with an equivalent diesel model, with maximum subsidy caps depending on company size.
• Ownership requirement: Vehicles must remain under applicant ownership for a minimum period (typically four years).
• Budget: For 2026, around €10 million is allocated for touring coach companies and roughly €2.3 million for public transport concession holders.
• Impact: Supports reduction of emissions from passenger coach transport and complements broader zero-emission goals in urban and regional mobility.

Strategic alignment and broader impact

Together, SPULA, AanZET and STour form a coherent package of incentives that address critical components of the transport decarbonisation ecosystem in the Netherlands:

• Infrastructure readiness: SPULA ensures that charging stations accessible to the public, especially for heavy vehicles, are in place to support electrification at scale.
• Fleet transformation: AanZET reduces purchase costs for zero-emission trucks, enabling faster fleet adoption among logistics operators.
• Passenger transport: STour encourages the electrification of touring coaches, advancing cleaner passenger mobility.

These schemes reflect national objectives outlined in Dutch transport and climate policy, which aim for significant emission reductions by 2030 and near-full decarbonisation of road transport by 2050. They also align with EU alternative fuels infrastructure priorities and broader market incentives to scale clean mobility solutions across sectors.

Source: RVO.nl 

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.