Toespraak opening Europees hoofdkantoor CT&T in Amsterdam

Toespraak | 09-09-2010

'Clean, Silent and Economic'

Mr Lee, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, the Korean company CT&T opens a new head office, right here in Amsterdam. Mr Lee, my warm congratulations!

This new CT&T office shows us that companies from competitive and strong economies, such as Korea’s, believe that the Netherlands is the best place in which to invest. Currently, around 100 Korean companies have an office in the Netherlands. To them, the Netherlands is a trusted base from which they can export goods and services to the European marketplace. And many Korean companies have outsourced their logistics to Dutch logistics companies, which are renowned for their expertise in this area.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The current Dutch investment climate can only remain attractive if we continue to invest in it. And that is why I have good news for you today.
To further encourage the development of the electric car I have decided to launch a 3.5 million euros tender. By developing better batteries, communications and design, we will make the electric car an even better alternative to combustion engine vehicles. The tender has been opened last week and is part of the innovation programme High Tech Automotive Systems. I invite companies to submit their proposals before 8 October.

Now back to this office, back to where we are. This new CT&T office in the Netherlands represents the comeback of the electric car to the Netherlands. And I see you wonder: comeback? Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen: comeback. For in 1835, the Dutch professor Sibrandus Stratingh was the first person in the world to make a full-sized electric car. And afterwards, the electric car was popular for quite a while.

Things changed, however, by 1920, when combustion engine cars took over and fossil fuels became supreme. How could that happen? Well, fossil fuel cars were faster and had a bigger range. And that’s how the electric car disappeared from the streets.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Fast forward 90 years and the electric car is back! A comeback that is starting in the Netherlands, today! The electric car is a clean, silent and economic vehicle. And that’s what we need to establish the sustainable economy we are all striving for. We have to economise on fossil fuels. We have to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We have to reduce the production of particulates. And we have to diminish traffic noise. The electric car is an excellent vehicle for reaching all of these goals.

Let’s compare the electric car to the traditional car. Let’s start with the traditional car: it uses fossil fuels and a combustion engine. So doesn’t that basically make it a power plant on wheels? And don’t these power plants on wheels waste a lot of energy, produce a lot of noise and emit a lot of carbon dioxide and particulates? I am afraid the combustion car does all of these things. And it harms the environment and our health, and contributes towards climate change.

Now let’s picture the electric car to be produced by CT&T instead. This electric car leaves the power plant at home and instead draws electricity from a socket. True, this electricity is still generated in a power plant that uses fossil fuels, but the electric vehicle is much more efficient than a conventional car! And when its electricity is produced by nuclear energy or renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass or sun, the emissions are further reduced.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

CT&T expects the number of electric cars to rise explosively. For the European market alone, it intends to produce 20,000 electric vehicles in 2011. This number has to double or triple by 2013.

How will they manage? Well, of course the price of their cars – around €15,000 – will be very acceptable. And at least as important: the fuel consumption will be about 7-10 euros per week. Compared to 50-70 euros for a comparable car that runs the same distance on fossil fuel.

The municipality of Amsterdam and the Dutch government are stimulating the purchase of electric cars, too. Amsterdam offers users of electric cars charging points, free parking and a purchase subsidy. Now we see why it is no coincidence that many companies involved in the electric car business settle in Amsterdam. At the same time, the government has exempted owners of electric cars from paying road taxes. And we are working on charging stations throughout the country.

To cut a long story short: electric cars, vans and buses are an attractive alternative to vehicles that run on fossil fuel. This is why I am so happy with CT&T’s settlement in the Netherlands.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would also like to say a few words about the Formula E-team. In this team Bovag, ANWB, EnergieNed, HTAS, ICT-office, Natuur en Milieu, Nederlandse Vereniging van Banken, RAI Vereniging, VNA, VNG en 3TU have united to improve the conditions for the electric car. Under the leadership of Prince Maurits of Orange, they are working on infrastructure, batteries and other conditions to encourage the re-introduction of the electric car in the Netherlands. May I thank all of you very much for your efforts?

I wish CT&T, the municipality of Amsterdam, the Formula E team, all of you, every success! It’s because of you that the future of the electric car looks promising!

Thank you.