Electric car: Environmental bonus compensation compensates for "serious breach of trust"

Created: 2022-06-20Updated: 2022-06-20 12:15 p.m

By: Marcus Efler

Finance Minister Christian Lindner would like to eliminate the purchase premium for e-cars entirely.

Criticism promptly rained down from the VDIK and the ADAC.

Update from June 20, 2022, 12:00 p.m .:

If Finance Minister Christian Lindner has his way, the environmental bonus will soon be history.

However, the initiative by the FDP politician does not spark much joy among car manufacturers.

The Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) therefore spoke out in favor of continuing the funding.

"For good reason, in order to achieve the national climate goals, the governing parties in the coalition agreement announced the further development and continuation of the purchase premium for electric cars until 2025," said VDIK President Reinhardt Zirpel, according to a statement from the weekend.

Electric car: Environmental bonus compensation compensates for "serious breach of trust"

But that's exactly what the manufacturers and buyers of electric cars would rely on.

"An abrupt end to the e-car premium would therefore mean a serious breach of trust," emphasized Zirpl.

The President of the VDIK warned of a slump in the electric car market in Germany and an increase in CO2 emissions.

The environmental premium could soon be abolished.

However, Christian Lindner's plans met with little understanding from the ADAC and VDIK.

(Iconic image) © Julian Stratenschulte/dpa

“The discussion alone about an end to purchase premiums for electric vehicles is already leading to massive uncertainty.

The federal government should end this speculation immediately," said Zirpl.

And the ADAC also called for planning security: "Against the background of the subsidy, many consumers have already ordered an e-vehicle," emphasized Transport President Gerhard Hillebrand.

Electric car: Lindner's proposal "unacceptable"

Some car manufacturers guarantee that the Stromer will be delivered in 2022 for certain models.

However, many customers have to wait a little longer and could therefore get nothing from the subsidies actually planned.

"So far there have been no indications that the federal government intends to completely discontinue subsidies for purely battery-electric new cars from next year," Hildebrand makes clear.

Lindner's proposal was unacceptable in view of the politically created expectations.

Update from June 19, 2022, 7:15 a.m.:

It was a quick journey from Hero to Zero: Just a few weeks ago, buyers of electric cars whose new cars were not delivered until next year were hoping that the FDP would save them the full innovation premium.

At least.

According to media reports, Transport Minister Volker Wissing was planning a massive expansion of funding.

A denial followed promptly – and now his party leader is not only rowing back, but in the opposite direction.

"If it's up to me, the purchase premiums for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, for example, will be canceled," said Finance Minister Christian Lindner (43) in the "Welt am Sonntag": "So far, the cars have been sold over their lifetime, sometimes with up to 20,000 Euro subsidized, even for top earners.

This is too much.

We can save billions that we can use more sensibly.” Lindner, who is pushing for compliance with the debt brake in the coming year, regards the up to 6,000 euros from the state for electric cars as a “misguided subsidy”.

Christian Lindner (FDP) considers the promotion of electric cars to be inappropriate.

(Iconic image) © Fabian Sommer/dpa

Electric car: Minister of Finance Christian Lindner wants to cancel environmental bonus

It currently looks as if state subsidies for the purchase of pure electric cars will be reduced next year and plug-in hybrids abolished - according to the plans of the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck.

A legal regulation is still pending.

Update from May 10, 2022, 11:45 a.m .:

Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has denied his alleged plans to significantly increase the environmental premium for electric cars and to combine it with a scrapping premium.

"I neither want a scrappage premium nor a higher purchase premium for electric vehicles," tweeted the FDP politician: "The switch to climate-neutral mobility must succeed through market-based incentives."

First report from May 9, 2022, 1:56 p.m.:

Berlin – Drivers who are toying with the idea of ​​a new electric car should have their heads spinning: What is going on in Berlin?

Many of them had just come to terms with the fact that the environmental bonus for electric vehicles will probably be significantly reduced from 2023 (and completely abolished for plug-in hybrids).

At least that's what Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (52, Greens) is planning.

The expensive consequence for buyers: whose battery car can no longer be registered this year due to the absurdly long delivery times (some manufacturers guarantee this, however) will receive 2,000 euros less from the state than before – i.e. probably only up to 4,000 instead 6,000 euros (in addition to 3,570 euros gross manufacturer discount).

Many interested parties are therefore hesitating with the purchase, or have already jumped off again.

Electric car: FDP Minister Wissing wants a mega premium – and snubs the Greens Habeck

But now Transport Minister Volker Wissing (52, FDP) is grappling with his cabinet colleague in the melting of the subsidy.

Because he supposedly not only wants to continue at the current level until 2027, but also to increase it significantly, as the "Handelsblatt" reports.

This is said to be in the draft for an immediate climate protection program (which would actually also be Habeck's territory).

According to this, buyers of all purely electrically operated cars up to a price of 40,000 euros, regardless of whether they have batteries or fuel waves, should receive 10,800 euros from the state - from mid-2023 this should include a 1,500 euro scrapping bonus for at least eleven year old combustion engines.

Together with the manufacturer's share of the premium, that would be a deduction from the purchase price of 14,370 euros.

For more expensive Stromer up to 60,000 euros, there should still be 8,400 euros, so a total of 11,970 euros.

Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing wants to promote electric cars more.

(Iconic image) © Christophe Gateau/dpa

Electric car: FDP Minister Wissing wants mega premium - Dacia Spring for 6,570 euros?

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For a Dacia Spring (list price from 20,940 euros) you would only have to spend 6,570 euros, less than for some (petrol-powered) scooters.

A BMW i4 (actually from 59,200 euros) would be available from 47,230 euros.

Whether the mega-premium really becomes law, or whether Habeck can still prevail, is currently considered completely open.

For prospective buyers who may want to switch to electric, this probably means: wait and see – and continue to drive combustion engines for the time being.