From electric MINIs zipping off the Nedcar production line to the surge of Chinese brands on Dutch roads, the Netherlands is quietly accelerating its transformation into a multifaceted automotive powerhouse, one driven as much by its €12.5 billion parts ecosystem and 210,000-strong workforce as by the 84,000 new EVs its citizens registered last year.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the Netherlands automotive production reached 92,300 passenger cars, marking a 15.2% increase from the previous year.
- The Nedcar plant in Born assembled 65,000 MINI vehicles in 2023, focusing on electric models.
- DAF Trucks produced 16,500 heavy-duty trucks in 2022 at its Westerlo and Leyland facilities.
- New passenger car registrations in Netherlands totaled 342,577 units in 2023.
- Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations reached 84,000 units in 2023, 24.5% market share.
- Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales were 47,200 units in 2023, down 12% from 2022.
- Automotive employment in Netherlands totaled 210,000 direct jobs in 2022.
- Manufacturing jobs in auto sector: 85,000 FTE in 2023.
- R&D personnel in automotive: 25,000 employees in 2022.
- Automotive exports from Netherlands totaled €28.5 billion in 2022.
- Passenger car exports: 450,000 units in 2023.
- Truck exports reached €7.2 billion in 2022, mainly DAF.
- Automotive R&D spending reached €2.8 billion in 2022.
- 45% of new cars sold in 2023 were zero-emission.
- Number of EV charging points: 150,000 public stations in 2023.
The Netherlands automotive industry is growing strongly, led by electric vehicle production and adoption.
Employment and Labor
- Automotive employment in Netherlands totaled 210,000 direct jobs in 2022.
- Manufacturing jobs in auto sector: 85,000 FTE in 2023.
- R&D personnel in automotive: 25,000 employees in 2022.
- Dealers and repair shops employ 120,000 people in 2023.
- Average wage in auto manufacturing: €48,500 annually in 2022.
- Women represent 22% of automotive workforce in 2023.
- Apprenticeships in sector: 12,000 trainees in 2022.
- Labor productivity per worker: €220,000 output in 2023.
- Unemployment rate in auto sector: 3.2% in 2023.
- STEM graduates entering auto industry: 4,500 per year in 2022.
- Logistics jobs in automotive supply chain: 35,000 in 2023.
- Sales personnel in dealerships: 28,000 jobs in 2022.
- Temporary workers share: 15% of total employment in 2023.
- Age 55+ workers: 28% of workforce in 2022.
- EV technician training programs enrolled 8,000 in 2023.
- Union membership rate: 45% in auto manufacturing 2022.
- Sick leave days average: 7.2 per employee in 2023.
- Digital skills training: 15,000 workers upskilled in 2022.
- Migrant workers: 18% of total automotive labor force 2023.
- Overtime hours averaged 120 per year per worker in 2022.
Employment and Labor Interpretation
With over 200,000 direct jobs relying on it, the Dutch auto industry is a surprisingly robust, high-performing, and slightly achy beast, powered by a mostly male and aging core workforce that is actively trying to upskill and electrify itself for the future.
Innovation and Sustainability
- Automotive R&D spending reached €2.8 billion in 2022.
- 45% of new cars sold in 2023 were zero-emission.
- Number of EV charging points: 150,000 public stations in 2023.
- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles registered: 1,200 in 2023.
- CO2 emissions from new cars average: 95 g/km in 2023.
- Patents filed in automotive tech: 2,500 in 2022.
- Investment in battery tech: €1.2 billion in 2023.
- Autonomous driving pilots: 15 projects active in 2023.
- Recycling rate for ELVs: 95.3% in 2022.
- Smart mobility investments: €500 million government funding 2023.
- Software-defined vehicle adoption: 30% of fleet in 2023.
- Wind tunnel testing facilities used 1,200 hours in 2022.
- Biofuel usage in fleet: 12% blend in 2023.
- AI in manufacturing implemented in 60% factories 2023.
- Carbon neutral factories: 12 plants certified in 2022.
- 5G connectivity in vehicles tested on 500km highways 2023.
- Circular economy projects: 25 initiatives funded €150m 2022.
- V2G technology deployed in 10,000 chargers 2023.
- Noise reduction tech in tires: 80% compliance 2022.
- Digital twin usage in design: 70% of OEMs in NL 2023.
- Green steel procurement: 20% of total in 2022.
Innovation and Sustainability Interpretation
The Netherlands is putting its money where its mouth is, spending lavishly on green R&D to ensure its famous efficiency extends from bike lanes to electric highways, circular factories, and even quieter tires, proving that sustainability can be built with both Dutch ingenuity and a substantial down payment.
International Trade
- Automotive exports from Netherlands totaled €28.5 billion in 2022.
- Passenger car exports: 450,000 units in 2023.
- Truck exports reached €7.2 billion in 2022, mainly DAF.
- Automotive parts imports: €15.8 billion in 2023.
- EU accounts for 68% of Dutch auto exports in 2022.
- Germany is top export destination with €6.1 billion in 2023.
- Used vehicle exports to Africa: 120,000 units in 2022.
- Trade balance surplus for vehicles: €4.2 billion in 2023.
- EV battery imports from China: €2.1 billion in 2022.
- UK post-Brexit exports down 8% to €1.8 billion in 2023.
- US imports of Dutch trucks: 5,200 units in 2022.
- Parts exports to Belgium: €3.4 billion in 2023.
- Trade with Turkey in auto parts: €900 million imports 2022.
- EV vehicle exports grew 40% to 35,000 units in 2023.
- Steel imports for auto: 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- France auto parts trade volume: €2.5 billion in 2023.
- Asia-Pacific exports share: 12% of total in 2022.
- Re-export of imported cars: 180,000 units in 2023.
- Chemical products for auto (paints etc.) exports €1.1bn 2022.
International Trade Interpretation
The Netherlands has crafted a deceptively simple automotive recipe: they brilliantly assemble a global parts buffet (especially relying on China for EV batteries and Turkey for components), season it heavily with their own homegrown DAF trucks and chemical expertise, and then serve the finished vehicles predominantly to their European neighbors—though they haven't forgotten to send a hearty second helping of used cars to Africa and keep a keen eye on the growing EV appetite.
Production and Output
- In 2022, the Netherlands automotive production reached 92,300 passenger cars, marking a 15.2% increase from the previous year.
- The Nedcar plant in Born assembled 65,000 MINI vehicles in 2023, focusing on electric models.
- DAF Trucks produced 16,500 heavy-duty trucks in 2022 at its Westerlo and Leyland facilities.
- VDL Bus & Coach manufactured 1,200 electric buses in 2023, up 25% from 2022.
- Total automotive parts production value in Netherlands was €12.5 billion in 2022.
- The Dutch automotive industry output index stood at 112.5 in Q4 2023 (2015=100).
- Battery production capacity for EVs in Netherlands reached 20 GWh annually by end-2023.
- Automotive metal stamping output was 450,000 tons in 2022.
- Plastic components for vehicles produced totaled 180,000 metric tons in 2023.
- Engine manufacturing output declined to 45,000 units in 2022 due to electrification shift.
- Welding and assembly lines produced 78,000 chassis in 2023.
- Tire manufacturing for OEMs reached 2.5 million units in Netherlands in 2022.
- Seat production for automotive sector was 1.1 million units in 2023.
- Glass production for vehicles totaled 4.2 million m² in 2022.
- Electronics modules for cars produced 3.8 million units in 2023.
- Paint and coating application volume was 150,000 tons for vehicles in 2022.
- Forging output for automotive parts reached 120,000 tons in 2023.
- Casting production for engine blocks was 55,000 tons in 2022.
- Wiring harness production totaled 2.2 million km in 2023.
- Filter manufacturing output was 8.5 million units for vehicles in 2022.
- Brake system components produced 1.4 million sets in 2023.
- Suspension parts output reached 950,000 units in 2022.
- Exhaust systems manufactured totaled 320,000 units in 2023.
- Interior trim production was 2.1 million m² in 2022.
- Lighting assemblies produced 5.6 million units in 2023.
- Fuel tank production reached 750,000 units in 2022.
- HVAC systems for cars manufactured 1.8 million units in 2023.
- Sensor production for ADAS totaled 12 million units in 2022.
- Cable production for EVs was 1.5 million km in 2023.
Production and Output Interpretation
While the humble Dutch engine may be wheezing its last breath, the rest of the automotive industry is frantically rewiring itself, forging ahead with enough electric buses, batteries, and complex wiring to ensure the country's future vehicles are decidedly more 'shock and awe' than 'clunk and choke'.
Sales and Registrations
- New passenger car registrations in Netherlands totaled 342,577 units in 2023.
- Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations reached 84,000 units in 2023, 24.5% market share.
- Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales were 47,200 units in 2023, down 12% from 2022.
- Light commercial vehicle registrations hit 106,000 units in 2023.
- Used car sales volume was 1.8 million units in 2022.
- Volkswagen Group held 14.2% market share in new car sales in 2023.
- Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car with 25,413 registrations in 2023.
- Average new car price rose to €42,500 in 2023.
- Hybrid vehicle registrations increased 18% to 62,000 units in 2023.
- SUV segment accounted for 52% of new car sales in 2023.
- Lease cars represented 64% of new registrations in 2023.
- Export of used cars totaled 250,000 units in 2023.
- Motorcycle registrations were 45,000 new units in 2023.
- Van registrations under 3.5t reached 89,500 in 2023.
- Luxury car sales (>€100k) grew 22% to 12,300 units in 2023.
- Chinese brand registrations surged 150% to 18,000 units in 2023.
- Diesel car share dropped to 5.8% of sales in 2023.
- Private buyer registrations fell to 28% of total in 2023.
- Electric scooter sales hit 35,000 units in 2023.
- Fleet sales volume was 220,000 units in 2023.
- Grey import cars registered 15,200 units in 2023.
- Car subscription models grew to 50,000 active contracts in 2023.
- Online car sales share reached 12% in 2023.
- Pickup truck registrations increased 30% to 4,500 units in 2023.
Sales and Registrations Interpretation
The Dutch roads are now dominated by leased, pricey SUVs where electric is firmly in the fast lane, but the humble private buyer is becoming an endangered species watching from the curb.
Sources & References
- Reference 1OICAoica.netVisit source
- Reference 2MINImini.nlVisit source
- Reference 3DAFdaf.comVisit source
- Reference 4VDLGROUPvdlgroup.comVisit source
- Reference 5CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 6OPENDATAopendata.cbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 7MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 8FEDIABUSINESSfediabusiness.nlVisit source
- Reference 9VERENIGINGVKverenigingvk.nlVisit source
- Reference 10ACEAacea.autoVisit source
- Reference 11BOVAGbovag.nlVisit source
- Reference 12ETRMAetrma.orgVisit source
- Reference 13RAIVERENIGINGraivereniging.nlVisit source
- Reference 14GLASSALLIANCEEUROPEglassallianceeurope.euVisit source
- Reference 15NXTCOMMnxtcomm.nlVisit source
- Reference 16FEPCfepc.nlVisit source
- Reference 17EUROFORGEeuroforge.euVisit source
- Reference 18CAEFcaef.euVisit source
- Reference 19VDAvda.deVisit source
- Reference 20EUROMOTOReuromotor.nlVisit source
- Reference 21CLEPAclepa.euVisit source
- Reference 22FEDICARfedicar.nlVisit source
- Reference 23VLR-WWFvlr-wwf.nlVisit source
- Reference 24LIGHTSEUROPElightseurope.orgVisit source
- Reference 25KAUTEXMASCOkautexmasco.comVisit source
- Reference 26EUROVENTeurovent.euVisit source
- Reference 27NENnen.nlVisit source
- Reference 28MARKTMONITORmarktmonitor.nlVisit source
- Reference 29AUTOINTERNATIONAALautointernationaal.nlVisit source
- Reference 30JATOjato.comVisit source
- Reference 31LEASElease.nlVisit source
- Reference 32KBVBkbvb.nlVisit source
- Reference 33AUTOVISIEautovisie.nlVisit source
- Reference 34VNAvna.nlVisit source
- Reference 35CARLYcarly.nlVisit source
- Reference 36AUTOSCOUT24autoscout24.nlVisit source
- Reference 37VROUWINAUTOMOTIVEvrouwinautomotive.nlVisit source
- Reference 38SYNTUSsyntus.nlVisit source
- Reference 39TUDELFTtudelft.nlVisit source
- Reference 40TLNtln.nlVisit source
- Reference 41OTIBotib.nlVisit source
- Reference 42FNVfnv.nlVisit source
- Reference 43DIGIVAARDIGdigivaardig.nlVisit source
- Reference 44COMTRADEcomtrade.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 45GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 46NHTSAnhtsa.govVisit source
- Reference 47ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 48COMTRADEPLUScomtradeplus.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 49WORLDSTEELworldsteel.orgVisit source
- Reference 50DOUANEdouane.gouv.frVisit source
- Reference 51VNCIvnci.nlVisit source
- Reference 52H2PLATFORMh2platform.nlVisit source
- Reference 53EUROPEAN-PATENT-OFFICEeuropean-patent-office.orgVisit source
- Reference 54RDWAPROJECTrdwaproject.nlVisit source
- Reference 55ARDLardl.nlVisit source
- Reference 56RIJKSOVERHEIDrijksoverheid.nlVisit source
- Reference 57DNWdnw.aeroVisit source
- Reference 58MADE-IN-EUROPE-REVIEWmade-in-europe-review.nlVisit source
- Reference 59MVOmvo.nlVisit source
- Reference 605GOBSERVATORY5gobservatory.euVisit source
- Reference 61METRONmetron.nlVisit source
- Reference 62ELAADelaad.nlVisit source
- Reference 63TNOtno.nlVisit source