SEPP has ended: what subsidy is left for a used EV?

Is there still a subsidy for a used electric car in 2026?

No. As of October 2026 there is no national subsidy open for a used EV in the Netherlands. The SEPP scheme has closed for good. Its successor, the Overstapsubsidie Gebruikte Elektrische Auto's (OGEA), a grant to help people switch to a used EV, has been announced but is not yet open. What does apply is a 30% road tax discount.

Here is what applies now and what is coming:

What happened to the SEPP subsidy?

The SEPP (Subsidieregeling Elektrische Personenauto's Particulieren, the EV subsidy for private individuals) has closed permanently. Applications, including for used EVs, were possible until 27 December 2024 (RVO, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency). Since then there has been no national purchase subsidy for private buyers.

For a used EV, the SEPP paid €2,000 (government letter to parliament, October 2023). The announced successor pays considerably more, but is also far more targeted: not everyone will qualify.

Bought your EV with SEPP money and now thinking of selling? Check the ownership period. According to that same letter, a purchased car had to be kept for at least 3 years (4 years for private lease); sell earlier and you repay part of the subsidy. If you received it in late 2024, that period runs until late 2027. Check your grant decision (beschikking) or ask RVO.

What is the new OGEA subsidy?

The OGEA is an announced subsidy for people on lower and middle incomes who scrap an old petrol or diesel car and buy or private-lease a used EV. The government set out the plans in a letter to parliament (Kamerbrief) on 21 September 2026. Status: announced, not yet open.

The OGEA at a glance (proposal, September 2026)

Sources: the Kamerbrief of 21 September 2026, as reported by NOS and EV Update.

Worth knowing:

• The amount depends on your income. It is your individual verzamelinkomen (total taxable income on your Dutch tax return), not your household's. The amounts reflect the price gap between a used EV and a comparable petrol car (EV Update).
• Scrapping is required. You only get the subsidy if you hand in an old petrol or diesel car (NOS).
• List price, not used price. What counts is the EV's catalogusprijs (original list price) when new, not what you pay for it now.
• The budget is limited. €52.4 million covers about 8,700 grants of €6,000, or just over 13,000 of €4,000.
• Not final yet. Amounts, income limits and conditions can still change. The government advises waiting for the final rules (NOS).

Should you wait for the OGEA before buying an EV?

Only if you are likely to qualify: your income falls within the limits and you own a Euro 0 to 4 petrol or diesel car that has been in your name for at least a year. In that case waiting may pay off. If you don't qualify, waiting gains you nothing.

If you want to apply:

• Don't count on backdating. Nothing has been announced about it, so a purchase before the scheme opens may not count.
• Don't sell or scrap your old car yet. Under the proposal you hand it in as part of the scheme. Sell it now and you probably can't take part.
• Buying an old car to qualify won't work quickly. It must have been in your name for at least a year.
• Check your car's emission class. It is in the RDW records (the Dutch vehicle authority); look it up with a registration check.

What does the OGEA mean if you're selling a used EV?

Once the scheme opens, buyers on lower and middle incomes will have more to spend on EVs with a list price of €12,000 to €60,000. What that does to prices is impossible to predict, and until it opens some buyers may hold off.

Tips if you're selling an EV:

• State the original list price in your listing, so buyers can see whether the car falls within the limit.
• Have the battery tested and share the report. The SoH (state of health) shows how much capacity the battery has left. Buyers want to know before they bid.
• Include the road tax. In 2026 an EV pays 70% of the full rate.
• Price for today's market. Don't base your asking price on a subsidy that doesn't exist yet. An up-to-date valuation helps.

What advantages does a used EV have right now?

Without a purchase subsidy, a few advantages remain. The biggest is the 30% discount on road tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) in 2026, 2027 and 2028. In 2029 it drops to 25%, and from 2030 the discount ends (RVO).

• Road tax. You pay 70% of the full rate. See road tax for electric cars 2026–2030.
• No BPM on a Dutch-registered car. BPM, the Dutch registration tax, is paid once when a car is first registered here. Buy a car that already has Dutch plates and it has been paid.
• Low-emission zones. The passenger-car milieuzones in Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague and Utrecht keep out older diesels. An EV is not affected.
• Monthly costs. Compare what an EV and a petrol car cost you per month with the EV vs petrol comparison.

We will update this article as soon as the final OGEA conditions and opening date are known.