MÜNCHEN/KÖLN/BONN (dpa-AFX) - The new subsidy for electric vehicles has triggered a sharp rise in customer interest. Both online platforms MeinAuto.de and Carwow, as well as Thomas Peckruhn, president of the Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Industry (ZDK), confirmed this to dpa upon request. On these platforms, the number of inquiries has in some cases multiplied several times over.
"We are currently seeing very high interest. I think it is being very well received by private customers," says Peckruhn. Experience shows that such government initiatives always generate a significant response among customers. This was already the case with the scrappage premium in 2009 and later with the first electric car subsidy. Unfortunately, the abrupt end of these programs has also shown a very strong effect in the opposite direction.
Many Customers Have Questions
Many customers are coming forward with questions, Peckruhn notes. Things get particularly complicated with leasing contracts when the incentive has to be pre-financed—after all, it can only be applied for after the vehicle is registered. As a result, some customers are currently waiting to see exactly how the regulations will be implemented. The ZDK has therefore already called on the federal government to waste no time in rolling out the program.
However, another group of customers has already placed orders, in some cases even before the end of last year, once it became clear that the registration date would be decisive for the subsidy. Given the delivery times for new vehicles, several months usually pass between ordering and registration. Therefore, it is likely that the full impact of the subsidy will only become apparent in new registration figures in a few months' time.
Sharp Rises Online
According to a spokesperson, traffic on MeinAuto.de's pages related to electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and incentives has increased more than tenfold compared to December. Interestingly, there has also been a rise in interest for other drive types, albeit to a much lesser extent. "The incentive seems to have sparked a general desire for new cars among many."
Carwow recorded a more than threefold increase in inquiries about electric cars following the official announcement of the subsidy compared to the previous week. As a result, electric vehicles accounted for almost three-quarters of all inquiries.
€1,500 to €6,000 Subsidy
Last week, the Federal Ministry for the Environment announced that private customers purchasing pure electric cars, plug-in hybrids, or electric cars with range extenders can once again receive a government subsidy. Depending on the type of vehicle and personal circumstances, the subsidy ranges from €1,500 to €6,000. However, there are income caps for eligibility—these are set at €80,000 in annual household income, or €90,000 for households with two children./ruc/DP/zb
