“Extremely unfortunate”
The SPD parliamentary group reprimands Habeck for abruptly stopping funding for electric cars
December 17, 2023, 6:55 a.m
The application deadline for government funding for the purchase of an electric car ends this Sunday. The SPD parliamentary group finds the surprising announcement on Saturday “extremely unfortunate” and is calling for a slower transition from Economics Minister Habeck.
From the point of view of the SPD parliamentary group, the stop to the state purchase bonus for electric cars comes too abruptly. According to the wishes of Robert Habeck’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, the application period for funding should end this Sunday at midnight. “However, we find the funding stop on December 17th, which was announced at short notice on Saturday, to be extremely unfortunate,” three deputy SPD parliamentary group leaders told the German Press Agency. “We are therefore calling on Climate Protection Minister Habeck to organize a more reliable transition here.”
The parliamentary group vice-presidents Detlef Müller, Matthias Miersch and Verena Hubertz explained: “Citizens expect realistic transition periods from political decision-makers. When purchasing a new car, most people have to calculate very carefully how they can afford it and are assured of the bonus planned.”
In principle, however, they stand by the premature expiry of the funding. “In view of the overall budgetary situation, savings must be made in a wide variety of areas. The coalition has therefore agreed to let the e-car funding program expire,” explained the three Social Democrats. So far, according to the ministry, e-car funding was supposed to expire at the end of 2024 – or before if the funds have been used up.
Sharp criticism also from the ZDK
As of Saturday, the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) should only continue to process applications that were received by the end of this Sunday, as the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change announced. Funding that has already been promised is therefore not affected by the end of the funding and will be paid out.
The Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Industry (ZDK) also sharply criticized the abrupt end of funding. “This is an incredibly big breach of trust for tens of thousands of customers who ordered their electric vehicles on the condition that the funding would be paid,” said ZDK President Arne Joswig in a statement. “The minimum would be to let the environmental bonus run until the end of the year and at the same time, in coordination with states and municipalities, ensure that registration offices remain open until December 31, 2023 in order to be able to carry out registrations.”
Joswig further explained: “If we assume a realistic 60,000 affected vehicles and a premium of 4,500 euros each, we are talking about 270 million euros, which will primarily be burdened on customers. The goal is to have 15 million battery-electric vehicles in Germany by 2030 Getting a road is becoming even more distant.”