“The buyer’s premium is a flop”

Germany’s buyer’s premium for electric cars introduced last year has had a meagre impact, writes Hanne Schweitzer in Zeit Online. The money earmarked for the incentive can cover between 300,000 and 400,000 cars, but authorities received a mere 9,023 applications in the past half year. Car industry expert Stefan Bratzel from the Center of Automotive Management told the author: “The premium is a flop, it does not have any effect.” But he added the failure had the positive side effect of forcing actors to consider alternative ways to push e-mobility, such as increasing e-car ranges and improving charging infrastructure.

Read the article in German here.

Find the official statistics on the premium here.

Find background in the CLEW dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.