People buy our electric cars About the chaos of promoting e-cars

IO Hawk Exit Cross MAXX, eBikes

Editor Michael Huch has given some thought to the innovation bonus for the promotion of electric cars and finds some things not as innovative.

The Zero SR/S is a lot of fun, requires little parking space, is quiet, economical and environmentally friendly. Redaktuer Michael Huch wonders why this electric vehicle is not supported?

That has sat: But no promotion for combustion engines! A severe blow to the automotive industry, which had hoped to be able to reduce its stocks. Instead, the 2020/21 stimulus package only supports electric cars, and the e-car premium has been generously doubled. Now there are 6,000 euros from the federal government and 3,000 euros net manufacturer share for vehicles with a base list price below 40,000 euros. So with full power to electromobility? Unfortunately, no.

Why only electric cars?

What about electric vehicles, which are even more economical and would also relieve cities with a significantly lower consumption of transport space? Electric bikes, scooters, scooters, motorcycles, ...? Apart from the VAT reduction that will apply until the end of the year, these figures are empty from 19 to 16 percent. Manufacturers such as Zero Motorcycles, which have real fun grenades in their range with the naked Zero SR/F, the disguised Zero SR/S or the Enduro Zero DSR Black Forest Edition, are only something for high-priced electric fans, because a full combustion engine is already available for half. Nothing against loudly powerful combustion engines, but can electric motorcycles not also be an eligible component of electric mobility? And how many people would switch to an eBike right now for fear of public transport? But these things also cost at least 1,000 euros.Why is there no subsidy here? Or even more radical: a subsidy for classic bicycles? Even the proposed repair fee of 50 euros was quickly off the table.

Misplanning at Volkswagen & Co?

Manufacturers who can adapt their production capacities to rising demand or whose cars have previously sold rather poorly benefit from the innovation premium. With the high-end entry-level models such as the Opel Corsa-e, BMW i3 or Mini Cooper SE, delivery seems to be going well this year, but the cheapest and thus probably most reasonable electric car is currently not for money and good words to have! These are the electric triplets VW e-up! , Seat Mii electric and Skoda Citigo e iV from the VAG Group. Not long ago, the prices were reduced and the battery capacity nearly doubled. With the promotion you can now finally get up or even below the price of a gasoline engine. Electro not only for solvent enthusiasts, but also for computers. The problem: Who orders now, actually has no chance to get the vehicle this year - if you can still order at all! Because in between it was already said: order stop, not only at VW, Seat and Skoda, but also at Smart. Apparently, demand was overrun. Evil tongues claim that VW could have no interest in selling its small electric cars, because they allegedly subsidize every car with 5,000 euros. That would be about twice what an e-up! should actually save on CO2 fines for a combustion engine in fleet consumption. In the end, does the Bund support cars that many want to buy, but no one really wants to sell?

Exploded delivery times

The forums are full of frustrated customers: an e-up! ordered in March 2020 should come in June. Then Corona threw the world economy upside down, and supply shortages. Six weeks of factory closure will result in a delivery delay of six months! The double subsidy runs until the end of 2021, but the long delivery time ensures that buyers, who have made their way to the order due to the economic package, no longer benefit from the reduced VAT by the end of the year, because there is probably the date of performance, the delivery, and not the date under the purchase contract. Incidentally, the approval date is considered as the deadline for eligibility. This means that buyers who ordered an electric car BEFORE the adoption of the economic stimulus package in the belief in far less support benefit. So the ones you would not have to encourage to buy with a doubled premium, the same applies to VAT. Some VAG prospective customers report of non-binding delivery times of 60 weeks with the consequence that one prefers to order a Renault Zoe, which comes still this year.

Reasonable approaches

The planning of production capacities and supply chains is not in the hands of the government. And finally, there are many reasonably regulated aspects: The introduction of the maximum funding limit of 40,000 euros basic price ensures that particularly solvent buyers of a 180,000 euros expensive Porsche Taycan Turbo S do not even stop the hand. In contrast to percentages, fixed funding rates for electric cars and hybrids ensure that smaller, cheaper cars benefit disproportionately. At least here was thought, now you only have to be able to buy these things .

On the new car comparison platform Carwow you will find your electric car at the top price.