Plug-in hybrids are all the rage, because you have to pay less tax, have many advantages with the e-plate and get a generous subsidy when you buy them. It was already discussed that this will change in 2023. The new plans bring great distress to many buyers who are still waiting for their car.
Funding for plug-in hybrids will be completely eliminated in 2023
The new federal government announced some time ago that subsidies for e-cars will be revised. Plug-in hybrids are particularly targeted. Although most people take advantage of the subsidies and taxes, they mostly drive their cars with the combustion engine and not electrically. This upsets many environmental politicians, which is why a new regulation was called for. It was planned to bind the trips to the funding. If you drive a lot electrically, you get the full subsidy. But now everything is different because in 2023 the complete subsidy is to be abolished.
As the FAZ exclusively reports in advance, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants to completely abolish the subsidy for plug-in hybrids. There should be no more grading or evaluation of the trips. That would be far too much bureaucracy. Now the simpler way should be taken, namely the complete abolition. There is no less funding, but no money at all for plug-in hybrids. The proposal still has to be approved by the federal government. This was not foreseen in the coalition agreement.
It was actually also considered that the electric ranges would increase in order to get the full subsidy. With the new plan, that would also be eliminated and the development of the manufacturers would be completely superfluous. Plug-in hybrids are therefore completely on the brink of collapse.
The promotion of normal e-cars should be reduced. Is it still worth buying?
Pre-ordering plug-in hybrids will have a problem
The corona pandemic and the Ukraine war are causing massive delays in the delivery of electric cars and plug-in hybrids. If you order now or have already ordered, you will only get your vehicle in 2022 with luck. Many manufacturers are more likely to speak of 2023 and then buyers of a plug-in hybrid have a problem. If the subsidy is dropped, you get nothing and have to reckon with additional costs of several thousand euros. The application for funding is based on the day of registration and can only take place when the car is there. So it remains exciting to see if that will actually happen.