German govt’s 2030 target of 15 million e-cars unlikely to be met as orders drop - industry

The German government is aiming for 15 million electric cars on roads by 2030, but industry insiders say orders for EVs have dropped since the end of 2022, business daily Handelsblatt reported. “With the current status quo, 15 million e-cars by 2030 will not be possible,” said Kurt Sigl, head of the German Electric Mobility Federation (BEM). “German manufacturers have no affordable cars that customers want.” Subsidies for electric vehicle production have also been severely cut this year, impacting producer’s margins and their willingness to move away from combustion engine vehicles. Additionally, high interest rates on loans make leasing and financing obstacles for many people. However, cheaper vehicles can be bought abroad, especially from China, the newspaper added.  
If current trends continue, experts expect 11 million electric vehicles on German roads by 2030, with 13 million an optimistic estimation, Handelsblatt said. A spokesperson for Germany’s economy and climate ministry (BMWK) said the government is considering more “positive incentives” to increase the acceptance of e-cars.

Germany’s Center of Automotive Management for 2025 expects prices for electric and combustion cars to reach the same level for some models. Alongside the price of electric vehicles, a lack of sufficient charging points is considered a major obstacle to Germany’s e-car roll out target. At the beginning of 2023, about one million electric cars were registered in Germany, out of a vehicle fleet of nearly 49 million cars, according to figures by motorist club ADAC.