Rising interest in Germany's e-car buyer's premium, state agency says

The interest in e-cars is growing in Germany, with over 140,000 applications filed by the end of September for the government's buyer's premium for alternative-motor cars, state agency BAFA said in a report by public broadcaster ARD. The economic affairs and export agency said it expects 200,000 new applications in 2020 for the bonus, which offers buyers up to 4,000 euros, aided also by the government's announcement that it will improve support conditions as part of its climate action package, the article says. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), registrations of electric vehicles in September grew by nearly 150 percent compared to the same month a year ago. Taken together, fully electric cars and cars with hybrid engines accounted for 10.1 percent of the roughly 244,600 new registrations, the KBA said. 

Germany has put aside 600 million euros in direct support funds for e-car buyers, 183 million of which have been used so far. The buyer's premium applies to cars costing less than 60,000 euros and is split between the government and the carmakers. In its climate action package, the government decided to further raise the premium by 2021 and quickly expand the charging infrastructure to put more e-cars on the road.