Things were looking good for Klaus-Günter Badeck (65) from Flörsheim am Main and his new electric car, a bright red “VW ID4”:
▶︎ On August 25th he ordered his “VW ID 4”.
▶︎ The vehicle documents arrived at the dealer on Wednesday.
▶ On Thursday evening the insurance was clear.
▶︎ On Friday he had the license plates (MTK-KU 60 E).
► This Monday is the registration date for the new car.
▶︎ Then Badeck would have applied for the 4,500 euro environmental bonus from the federal government.
But the bonus has been lost since yesterday! And Badeck is really mad!
Because on Saturday, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (54, Green Party) announced the sudden end to the electric car purchase bonus (BILD reported). Application deadline: Sunday, December 17th. However, there is no funding without approval!
On Wednesday, Habeck explained succinctly when presenting the traffic light’s austerity decisions: “We will let the environmental bonus expire, end it earlier, it will expire anyway, but we will do it sooner.”
Not quickly, not quickly, not immediately – “earlier…”, “phase out…” – sounded like “gradually” instead of immediately.
E-car buyer Badeck: “Unfortunately I can’t think of any other word for it, Habeck has done us shit. My dealer tells me that, if necessary, he could have registered the car straight away.” Badeck is now looking down the drain with his registration date of December 18th: “The state is stealing the promised 4,500 euros in funding from me, without which I would never have ordered the car. “
This is how Klaus-Günter Badeck configured his new car at VW – without state funding and the threats against combustion engines, he would never have ordered it
Badeck, a professional representative for the severely disabled at the chemical company Sanofi, told BILD: “The state has promised the bonus – and at the same time threatened to raise fuel prices and insurance for combustion engines. Without that, we would have kept our ten-year-old VW Tiguan. I feel betrayed by the government.”
He had bought a German car especially because of the funding, says Badeck: “It allowed for a few extras, such as an electronically opening and closing tailgate, which my wife and I really need because of our osteoarthritis.”
Badeck asks Economics Minister Habeck and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65, SPD) to say one thing: “Tell the gentlemen that you have ruined Christmas for us.”
“Finanztip” boss Hermann-Josef Tenhagen (60) can understand citizens’ discontent despite all the austerity pressures.
Tenhagen to BILD: “The state simply tells citizens: tough luck!”
He advises buyers who are now left without subsidies to take a look at the purchase contract: If the subsidy is guaranteed there, then this is sufficient reason for withdrawing from the purchase contract.
Financial expert Hermann-Josef Tenhagen (60) recommends looking at the purchase contract
Advertising experts now expect the car companies to step in to retain customers. Motto: The state is letting you down? We’re jumping in!
ADAC: “Breach of trust”
The car lobby is on the fence: the ADAC speaks of a “breach of trust” and expects that many ADAC members will also be affected. ADAC spokeswoman Katrin van Randenborgh (53) demands:
▶︎ “Despite all understanding of budgetary needs, government action should be characterized by reliability and predictability. Both were turned into their opposite here.”
▶︎ “Anyone who has purchased a new vehicle with confidence in the bonus and has it by December 31st. can still allow, should still receive the environmental bonus of 4500. Anything else would be a real breach of trust.”
▶︎ “The information about the expiry of the environmental bonus was – to say the least – difficult, and the lead time until the actual expiry was simply too short.”
“It is understandable if consumers are outraged and feel like they have been deprived of their rights.” Conclusion: “Such quick-fire communication is not possible.”
Others are also outraged:
▶︎Germany’s car pope Ferdinand Dudenhöffer (72): “In my opinion, the traffic light government cheated tens of thousands of car buyers out of the subsidy.”
▶︎ Consumer lawyer Joachim Steinhöfel (61) looks at Habeck and Co. a wave of complaints roll in.
CDU: “Habeck is developing into a citizen’s terror”
The opposition in the Bundestag is attacking Habeck. CDU economic expert Tilman Kuban (36): “Robert Habeck is becoming more and more of a citizen terror. After the abrupt stop in KfW construction funding and the heating law, thousands of car buyers who wanted to switch to climate-friendly drives now have to believe in it.”
“Anyone who trusts in the state will once again be disappointed by the traffic light government. This country is simply badly governed,” said Kuban.
Habeck tackles it: CDU economic expert Tilmann Kuban (36)
Habeck wasn’t alone
When BILD announced “Habeck’s e-car mess” on Sunday, its spokeswoman Nicola Kabel (45) contacted BILD. It is important to her that this end of the guillotine and the de facto subsequent cancellation of the premium for cars that have already been purchased cannot be attributed solely to the Minister of Economic Affairs.
Kabel responded to the BILD question as to whether this was all “discussed with the Chancellor”: “Yes, of course.”
At least this is now clear: Robert Habeck wasn’t alone…