From 9 May 2022, business owners will be able to apply for a grant towards the purchase of one or more zero-emission lorries. REMEMBER: the lorry must not yet be registered in the applicant’s name at the time of applying for the grant, and at that time the purchase agreement must not contain any irrevocable obligations. The purchase agreement must not be dated before 1 January 2022.
RFO reports that, on the very first day, the number of applications received has already exceeded the budget allocated for the 2021 scheme. It is still possible to apply, but the chances of being awarded a grant are extremely slim.
AanZet
The AanZet grant can be applied for when purchasing a new zero-emission lorry. The subsidy does not apply to the purchase of a second-hand vehicle. The lorry must be completely zero-emission (powered exclusively by an electric motor) and fall within the following vehicle category:
- N2, weighing 4,250 kg or more (vehicles weighing between 3,500 and 4,250 kg are subsidised via the Electric Company Cars Subsidy Scheme (SEBA));
- N3 (for the amount of the subsidy, categorised into box lorries up to and including 18,000 kg, box lorries over 18,000 kg and semi-trailer tractors).
Grant amount
The subsidy amount is a percentage of the vehicle’s price, subject to a maximum amount. The subsidy covers the additional cost of the electric lorry compared with the price of a diesel lorry. The subsidy percentages and maximum amounts for the 2022 subsidy year are set out in the table below:
The basis for the subsidy is the price of the lorry, including ex-works options, as stated in the contract of sale, less VAT.
An entrepreneur or non-profit organisation may apply for the grant annually for up to 20 vehicles.
The subsidy ceiling for the 2022 subsidy year is €13.5 million. This is expected to enable the purchase of 300 zero-emission lorries to be subsidised. The subsidy ceilings for the years 2023 to 2027 inclusive have not yet been announced.
Request
Applications for the grant must be submitted via the website by the RVO. This portal will open on 9 May 2022 at 9.00 am. An advance payment of 90% of the grant amount will be made at the same time as the grant award decision is issued. A request for final settlement must be submitted within 12 months of the grant being awarded. Once the grant has been finalised, the remaining 10% will be paid out.
Minimum registration period
The zero-emission lorry subsidised through the AanZet scheme must remain in the ownership of the grant recipient for at least four years. To this end, the vehicle’s registration details held by the RDW will be checked periodically. If the vehicle is sold before the end of this period, the grant must be repaid on a pro rata basis, unless the vehicle is replaced by another zero-emission lorry that would also be eligible for the grant scheme.
MIA
The purchase of zero-emission lorries will also be eligible for the Environmental Investment Allowance (MIA) and VAMIL (75%) in 2022. The MIA for 2022 is 36%. This has been taken into account when determining the subsidy amounts.
In addition, the Subsidy Scheme for the Demonstration of Climate Technologies and Innovations in Transport may be used to support process innovation and knowledge-sharing relating to zero-emission lorries (DKTI transport). The grant scheme Clean and Emission-free Construction (SSEB) supports the purchase of zero-emission construction vehicles. There are also local and regional subsidy schemes for zero-emission lorries in place in Amsterdam and the province of Gelderland.