Bulgaria  is among the 28 EU member states that have registered growth in the sale of hybrid cars, according to data from Eurostat and the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) for 2018.

Last year, around 2100 vehicles with an alternative propulsion were sold in Bulgaria, with 1,300 units sold in 2017, an increase of nearly 60%, according to ACEA statistics. Overall, around 2 million cars classified as electric cars or hybrid electric cars have been sold in the EU, which can be propelled in combination with a gasoline or diesel engine plus electricity.

In Bulgaria, about 800 electric cars and over 2000 hybrids are moving. At the moment in the market in Bulgaria, 18 different brands offer alternative propulsion vehicles, ranging from BGN 60 000 to BGN 80 000. According to experts in the industry, besides the high price, one of the main brakes for the development of this "transport of the future" in our country is the lack of enough charging stations for the electric cars and the hybrid versions as well as a number of other bonuses and discounts offered in the developed European countries to owners of electric vehicles.

According to experts, Bulgaria is lagging behind the leading European countries in the active development of the electricity distribution infrastructure, which should ensure the construction of a national network of power stations with sufficient power. This will require targeted investments in electricity distribution grids for at least 5-7 years for the minimum deployment of high-power charging stations in the country.

One of the few advantages that owners of hybrid cars use in Bulgaria is their exemption from the municipal tax on vehicles, as well as the free parking in the big cities.

Last year, 262 million vehicles were registered in the EU Member States. About 2 million or less than 1% of them are classified as electric cars or hybrid electric cars that can be propelled in combination with a gasoline or diesel engine. Overall, about 58% of cars sold in the EU were powered by gasoline, another 36% were diesel and the rest were electric or hybrid cars, statistics show.