The German Minister of Economic Affairs wants to stimulate the sale of electric cars by offering €1,000 in charging credits, along with tax benefits.
Robert Habeck said the government wants to make the credits available for publicly accessible charging stations “as an incentive to buy new and used electric cars,” according to a document from his ministry published Thursday by Funke Media Group newspapers.
The plan also calls for purchasing incentives. For low- and middle-income buyers of electric cars, a tax incentive should be introduced, allowing a certain part of the purchase price to be tax deductible, similar to existing tax breaks for energy-efficient building renovations.
The ministry is also considering a leasing model to make electric cars accessible to people on low incomes.
Used car market an option
In addition to the purchase of new e-cars, the newspaper also looks at the market for used e-cars.
“To boost the used car market, we want to subsidize professional battery checks with €100,” it said.
Used, pure electric vehicles equipped only with an electric motor (BEV) make it easier, especially for price-sensitive customers, to get started with e-mobility, the newspaper said. A professional battery check gives potential buyers certainty about the condition of the battery of the used vehicle and therefore its value.
Sales of electric vehicles in Germany have been difficult for some time. At the end of 2023, the environmental bonus for e-cars was stopped prematurely due to the budget crisis.
