The German government is considering removing incentives for hybrid cars and electric cars.
According to Automotive News, Germany’s Ministry of Economy wants to end subsidies for hybrid vehicles by the end of 2022 and cut incentives for electric vehicles by 33 percent from 2023.
The plan, which was initiated by the German government, was immediately rejected by automotive industry professionals.
The head of the VDA automaker’s lobby, Hildegard Mueller, said in a statement that plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) serve as a precursor to the transition to electric mobility.
“Removing subsidies would jeopardize increasing electric mobility and ignore consumer realities in Germany,” said Hildegard Mueller.
However, the German Economy Minister, Robert Habeck, believes that PHEV or plug-in hybrid can be marketed and no longer requires additional incentives from the government.
“That way the government can focus more on supporting electric cars and climate protection,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, transportation policy spokesman Bernd Reuther emphasized that the coalition party currently in power should not deviate from the original plan.
Because hybrid vehicles contribute to achieving the goal of a better climate.
“We have to make the transition to these vehicles as attractive as possible and subsidize them according to their needs,” said Reuther.
For the record, electric cars are battery-powered and rely purely on electrical energy from the battery supply. While hybrid cars rely on electric motors that are powered by batteries, work with conventional engines and are operated together or separately alternately. While the PHEV is similar to a hybrid, but carries a larger battery, and can be recharged using a home charger.