“An electric car approaching,” says the license plate. But only in some countries

A Small change brings significant advantages

simplest way to distinguish electric vehicles is by altering the colour of the characters on the licence plate. This represents a minor modification that does not require any complex solutions. Dark green characters on a white background, instead of the standard black, are used, for example, in Romania, Austria and Ukraine. Latvia has opted for a different approach, where letters and numbers are displayed in light blue rather than the conventional black. 

In some countries, such “electric” plates bring notable advantages. In Austria, these include free parking in selected locations or higher speed limits in specific IG-L emission control zones (as of 1 September 2024, plug-in hybrids are no longer eligible for these plates or the associated benefits). In Latvia, environmentally friendly vehicles are permitted to use lanes reserved for public transport.

Coloured background for clearer distinction

While coloured characters may not be immediately noticeable, a change of background colour is far more distinctive. This approach is used, for instance, in Poland and Hungary, where electric vehicles feature licence plates with a light green background and black characters. India has also joined the group of countries using a distinctive background colour, with white characters on a green background. In none of these countries are the special plates issued to plug-in hybrids (in Hungary they were available until 2024). 

In India, electric vehicles are subject to lower taxation (5% compared to 18–40% for conventional vehicles). In certain regions, they are also exempt from or benefit from reduced road tax, registration fees, tolls or parking charges, and dedicated parking spaces are available. In Poland, vehicles with the appropriate licence plates are permitted to enter zones where internal combustion vehicles face restrictions.

In Poland, electric cars are being issued license plates with a light green background

“E” for Electric

Some countries use specific identifiers for zero-emission vehicles. In Lithuania, Norway, the Czech Republic and ROC Taiwan, the letter “E” appears at the beginning of the licence plate, while in Germany it is placed at the end. In the Czech Republic, the plate always begins with the combination “EL”, whereas in Norway an additional letter follows the initial “E”. 

In selected cities in the Czech Republic, vehicles bearing “EL” plates benefit from free or discounted parking, are exempt from motorway vignette requirements and are not subject to road tax for companies. Germany additionally offers tax incentives, purchase subsidies and, in certain locations, access to dedicated lanes. While in Germany and the Czech Republic these benefits also partially apply to plug-in hybrids, in Norway, Lithuania and ROC Taiwan they are reserved exclusively for fully electric vehicles. 

Not only cars, but motorcycles as well

Licence plates for electric vehicles take various other forms. In Slovakia, a turquoise background was initially used; since 2023, plates feature a white background, dark green characters and the letters “EL” or “EV” at the beginning. A similar system is applied in Bulgaria, where the characters are again green and they start with either EA (for cars) or EM (for motorcycles). 

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, largely standard licence plates are used, supplemented by a green stripe. In the UK, the green stripe is positioned on the left-hand side, while in Ireland it appears on the right. The Irish system is among the most recent in Europe, having been introduced in 2025; electric vehicles in the country do not yet benefit from certain user advantages such as free parking or reduced tolls, although significant tax incentives are in place. 

In Slovakia, electric vehicles have license plates with green lettering and the letters EL or EV