SPD calls on Habeck to stop subsidies for e-cars more slowly

After the budget ruling - SPD calls on Habeck to stop subsidies for e-cars more slowly

In the opinion of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, the stop to the state purchase premium for electric cars is too abrupt. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs under Robert Habeck (Greens), the application deadline for the subsidy is to end this Sunday at midnight. "However, we feel that the funding stop on December 17, which was announced at short notice on Saturday, is extremely unfortunate," three deputy leaders of the SPD parliamentary group told the German Press Agency. "We are therefore calling on Climate Protection Minister Habeck to organize a more reliable transition."

Parliamentary group deputies Detlef Müller, Matthias Miersch and Verena Hubertz explained: "Citizens expect realistic transition periods from political decision-makers. When buying a new car, most people have to calculate very carefully how they can afford it and have certainly factored in the premium."

In principle, however, they support the premature expiry of the subsidy. "In view of the overall budgetary situation, savings have to be made in a wide variety of areas. The coalition has therefore agreed to phase out the e-car subsidy program," explained the three Social Democrats.

According to the ministry, the e-car subsidy was previously due to expire at the end of 2024 - or before if the funds were used up. As of Saturday, the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (Bafa) will now only continue to process applications that have been received by the end of this Sunday, as announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Subsidies that have already been approved are therefore not affected by the end of the subsidy and will be paid out.

The Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe (ZDK) also sharply criticized the abrupt end of funding. "This is an unbelievable breach of trust for tens of thousands of customers who ordered their e-vehicles on the assumption that the subsidy would be paid out," 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 the federal states and local authorities, ensure that registration offices remain open until December 31, 2023 so that registrations can be made."

Joswig went on to explain: "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 charged to customers. The goal of getting 15 million battery electric vehicles on Germany's roads by 2030 is moving even further away."