There was a 20% increase in the number of electric and hybrid cars sold in the Netherlands last year, the national statistics office CBS reports on Tuesday.

In 2013, sales rose 43% following the introduction of new tax benefits for energy-efficient cars.

As a whole, turnover in the car sector fell 3% to €29bn last year, the CBS says. The downturn is due to the continuing impact of the economic crisis.

Hybrid and electric cars in the Netherlands account for just 2% of the total fleet of eight million vehicles.

The best sellers so far this year are the Tesla Model S (445 cars sold with prices from €72,000 ) and the hybrid Volkswagen Gold GTE (1,581 cars sold with prices starting at €40,000).

Exports

Last week it emerged that a large number of the electric cars bought in the Netherlands last year with the aid of government subsidies have been exported.

Figures from the car sector information centre VWE showed almost 1,000 electric cars were exported last year, around 12% of the total Dutch electric fleet, the Financieele Dagblad reported.