Overview
- Officials expect the digital portal to go live in May 2026, with claims allowed only after registration and valid retroactively for cars first registered since January 1st.
- The grant pays a base €3,000 for battery-electric cars and €1,500 for plug-in hybrids, with extra payments tied to lower household income and up to two children, for a maximum of €6,000.
- Only brand-new vehicles first registered in Germany in 2026 qualify, and plug-in hybrids must meet EU limits for CO₂ or electric range and provide an EU certificate of conformity.
- Applications run only online and require a BundID login verified by either an ELSTER certificate or the chip ID on the national ID card, plus recent tax notices and child-benefit proof where relevant.
- The government has set aside about €3 billion to support an estimated 800,000 vehicles, while a consumer survey finds the top complaint is that used EVs are excluded.