Recently, Germany was named the most energy efficient nation in the world. So why are they so slow on the uptake when it comes to electric cars?
In 2009, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her wish to have one million electric cars on German roads by 2020, but it’s beginning to look like Merkel might have had her head in cloud cuckoo land with that one. In the words of Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, from the CAR Center for Automotive Research at Duisburg-Essen University: ‘(Merkel) might have just as easily said that we would have 100,000 cars driving on the moon by 2020’.
So for a country with strong codes on energy efficiency in buildings, just what is it that is holding Germany back from taking the lead in the automotive efficiency stakes?
Loyalty to German car brands
One of the apparent reasons for the poor level of electric vehicle (EV) uptake in Germany is the lack of innovation from German car brands, which Germans seem to remain loyal to.
Green Car Reports found that in Germany, the two best EV sellers were BMW's i3 and the Volkswagen e-Up, both made by German manufacturers. But German manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the level of innovation from foreign competition such as Renault and Tesla.
Lack of recharging points
Germany has only 4,400 recharging stations. In contrast, the UK has 7,000 while France hopes to expand its network to 16,000 by the end of the year.
Lack of government incentives
Currently, the German government offers no financial aid or tax breaks to people who own electric vehicles; therefore there is a lack of incentive to go green. Some have argued that the German government is reluctant to promote overseas brands, as this would harm domestic demand.
The Green Car Website recently reported that the government is taking steps towards improving the situation. New draft legislation could see:
- Electric cars allowed into bus lanes,
- EV drivers offered free parking and reserved parking spaces in locations with charging points.
So where does Germany go from here?
With the success of the BMW i3 this year, it is hoped that attention will be turned towards electric vehicles in Germany. Yet, for EVs to gain more popularity in the country, it looks like there needs to be some big changes in government policy and an increase in charging points across the country.
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