Electric cars in Bulgaria: are they destroying the roads and should their owners pay for it?

According to current data, the total number of registered passenger cars of all types in Bulgaria as of July 2025 is about 3.5 million. At the same time, the total number of registered passenger electric cars has reached approximately 15 thousand units. This means that the share of electric cars is only 0.4% of the total car fleet in the country.

This percentage is far from the levels of countries such as Norway or Sweden, where the share of electric vehicles reaches over 20% and where a reduction in state incentives is gradually starting to be considered. In order to start discussing reducing subsidies for electric vehicles in Bulgaria, firstly there must be some, and secondly their number must increase at least tenfold.

At the same time, even this relatively small number of electric vehicles is already contributing to reducing fuel consumption in the country. According to rough estimates, in the first quarter of 2025 they prevented fuel consumption for almost 150 million leva.

A significant part of this amount would otherwise flow into the state budget in the form of excise taxes on fuels. In this aspect of thought, one often hears claims that electric cars do not cover the costs of road maintenance, but this argument is completely justified. Firstly, such a small number of electric vehicles has a negligible impact on the state of road infrastructure – their impact is smaller than even seasonal fluctuations in the total number of cars on the road.

Even a simple increase in fuel prices at gas stations can reduce the number of cars on the road by 5-7%. Second, the excise tax, which is included in the price of fuel and paid by all owners of cars with internal combustion engines, is essentially an environmental tax on the environmental pollution caused by burning fossil fuels.

However, there is an argument that the greater weight of electric cars compared to their petrol or diesel equivalents could put more pressure on the road surface over time. The batteries that power electric vehicles add significant mass, potentially increasing wear and tear on asphalt and bridge structures, especially in heavy traffic or in places with already compromised infrastructure.

This raises questions about the future financing of road maintenance, as revenues from excise taxes on fuels, which are traditionally used for this purpose, will decrease as the number of electric vehicles increases. Therefore, alternative models for charging electric cars, such as mileage-based fees or special annual taxes, are being discussed in many places to ensure sustainable financing of the road network. Naturally, such discussions are lacking in our country. Our politicians have far more important tasks. But the question remains: are electric vehicles destroying our roads and should their owners pay for it? Share your opinion in the comments below the article.