In Germany, the purchase of an e-car is subsidized with a purchase premium of up to 9,000 euros. If the vehicles go abroad after just six months, the funding is pointless.
According to car expert Stefan Bratzel, the German state is subsidizing electromobility abroad with amounts in the hundreds of millions.
Because many of the e-cars subsidized in Germany with a purchase premium of up to 9000 euros would be exported a little later as young used vehicles. Some dealers have now “specialized in selling used electric vehicles abroad at a profit after six months,” said the CAM Institute in Bergisch Gladbach, of which Bratzel is director, on Friday.
By September last year, 236,695 pure electric vehicles (BEV) had been newly registered, but the electric fleet in Germany had only increased by 207,435 vehicles. More than twelve percent of the newly registered BEV cars were therefore missing. The difference between Tesla and BMW is particularly large. According to conservative estimates by the institute, “up to 240 million euros in state subsidies for purely electric vehicles should not be used as intended in 2021 alone”.
A holding period of at least six months is required for the purchase bonus in Germany. According to Bratzel, resale abroad is worthwhile despite the loss in value due to the high subsidy and the short minimum holding period. “In Denmark, for example, there is no luxury tax on registration for used electric vehicles with a mileage of more than 6000 kilometers. This creates high demand and high prices for young used electric vehicles.»
The economics professor warned that German funding for electric mobility would lead to undesirable side effects and significant market distortions. In his opinion, the legislator should extend the minimum ownership period for subsidized e-cars to two or three years and, in the longer term, encourage the use of e-vehicles instead of purchasing them.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
