“A wrong path in terms of climate policy”: BUND criticizes funding for plug-in hybrids

“A wrong path in climate policy”
BUND criticizes funding for plug-in hybrids

The environmentalists of the BUND criticize the plans of the upcoming traffic light coalition to maintain the promotion of plug-in hybrids for the time being. All aids and benefits should be reduced to zero, they demand. Politicians cite delivery problems at the car manufacturers as the reason for the plans.

The Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) has criticized the traffic light plans for further state funding for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Jens Hilgenberg, Head of Transport Policy, said: “That the purchase of plug-in hybrids will continue until the end of next year should be subsidized without guidelines, is a wrong path in terms of climate policy. “Internal corporate misjudgments in component procurement should not provide any legitimation for this, said Hilgenberg, with a view to the lack of materials in the automotive industry and long waiting times for customers.” Any kind of purchase subsidies and tax advantages for plug-in hybrids must be zero be driven back, “demanded Hilgenberg.

In the case of an intended limitation of state subsidies to vehicles that have been shown to have a “positive climate protection effect”, there is also reason to fear that electrically powered vehicles will be assessed across the board: “Here, at least clear specifications for size, power and resource consumption are needed, which would be even better It goes without saying that the tax money used should be invested in the expansion of public transport. ”

But will there still be a government purchase premium in 2025?

Plug-in hybrids combine an electric drive with a combustion engine. It is controversial how much they are really driven in purely electric mode. Plug-in hybrids are often heavy SUVs. The coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP states that the state innovation bonus should continue unchanged according to the previous regulation until the end of 2022, in particular because of the existing delivery difficulties of the manufacturers of plug-in hybrids that have been ordered.

According to this, the funding for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids should be degressively and fundamentally reformed so that from 2023 it will only be issued for vehicles that have “demonstrably a positive climate protection effect”. The innovation bonus will no longer be required beyond the end of 2025. However, it is still unclear whether there will be a state purchase premium beyond 2025. Because we’re talking about the innovation bonus.

In the middle of last year, the existing purchase premium (environmental bonus) for e-cars and plug-in hybrids was increased via an innovation premium – the federal government had doubled its funding for the purchase of such vehicles, limited to the end of 2021. This contributed to a sharp rise in new registrations E-cars led.

.
source site-34