Electric cars in Ukraine will remain economically more profitable than cars with internal combustion engines even after the restoration of full taxation of their imports, believes Serhiy Kuyun, director of the "A-95" Consulting Group.
As reported by Enkorr, from January 1, 2027, VAT of 20% must be returned when importing electric cars into Ukraine. At the same time, the preferential regime, valid until the end of 2026, provides for the exemption of electric cars from VAT and import duty.
According to Kuyun, the cancellation of the concession will make electric cars more expensive when purchased, but will not deprive them of their main advantage — much lower operating costs.
"Even with all taxes, an electric car remains profitable. Electricity for charging it is much cheaper than fuel for a car with an internal combustion engine," the expert notes.
Operational savings are especially noticeable with long annual mileage. If an electric car consumes about 15–20 kWh of electricity per 100 km, when charging at home, the costs for such a trip remain several times lower than the cost of gasoline or diesel fuel for a car of a similar class.
An additional advantage of electric cars is the simpler design of the power plant. They do not have a number of nodes and consumables typical for internal combustion engine cars, which potentially reduces the costs of regular maintenance.
According to Kuyun, the Ukrainian market has already reached a level of development at which tax benefits cease to be the main factor in the demand for electric vehicles. In recent years, the model range has significantly expanded, the secondary market has grown and the infrastructure of charging stations is developing.
At the same time, the return of VAT can significantly affect the market right before the end of the grace period. Buyers who plan to buy an electric car can try to import and register it before the end of 2026 in order to take advantage of the current tax benefits.
As a result, in the last months of 2026, the import of electric cars may accelerate further, after which the market may experience a period of correction in early 2027.
For comparison: if the customs value of an electric car is 20,000 euros, only a refund of 20% VAT potentially increases the tax component by approximately 4,000 euros without taking into account the peculiarities of determining the tax base and other payments. However, for the high-mileage owner, some of this difference is gradually offset by lower energy and maintenance costs.
Experts Club analysts note that the further dynamics of the Ukrainian electric car market will depend not only on tax incentives. The cost of electricity and automotive fuel, the development of charging infrastructure, the prices of new and used electric cars, the condition of batteries and the residual value of cars on the secondary market will become increasingly important.
Therefore, the return of full taxation may change the structure of imports and slow down the rate of market growth, but in itself does not eliminate the economic benefits of electric transport for a large part of motorists.
Primary source: Enkorr - "Electric cars will remain profitable even with all taxes - expert".
