Around two thirds of all first registrations in Germany are commercial. For electric cars, there are currently worthwhile bonuses that the state subsidizes when you purchase such a vehicle. This will be over from September – because then you will only receive the money if you register a vehicle privately. Commercial customers are left empty-handed.
But things are also getting tight for private individuals. Because at the beginning of 2024, the premium for them will drop significantly from the current 4500 euros to 3000 euros. So if you are planning to buy a new car with an electric drive, you shouldn’t put it off for too long.
The new Euro 6e emissions standard will also apply from September. However, this initially only affects manufacturers who want to homologate new vehicles. The new standard will only affect initial registrations of existing vehicles from September 2024 – until then there is no need to worry about it.
Euro 6e is the final stage of the current standard. In the future, it will be replaced by Euro 7. Then the limit values will be even stricter, so that even the batteries of electric cars will be affected. For the first time, manufacturers will then have to guarantee a minimum shelf life for batteries – because premature death of the cells also puts a lot of strain on the environment. As soon as Euro 7 comes into force, the battery must still deliver at least 70 percent of its original performance after eight years or 160,000 kilometers. However, it is not expected to come into force before mid-2025 – if it can be done that quickly at all.
More far-reaching is initially the innovation in the registration of vehicles. Because from September 1st, the last stage of “internet-based vehicle registration”, or “i-Kfz” for short, will start in Germany. This not only makes it possible to register vehicles over the Internet around the clock, but also to deregister, reregister, reregister with or without a change of owner, register for one day and apply for special number plates. The offer is also aimed at car dealerships from September, so that you could theoretically drive straight from the yard when buying a car.
Because the last stage of “i-Kfz” enables immediate commissioning for the first time. In concrete terms, this means: As soon as registration via “i-Kfz” is successful, the vehicle with the license plates and the digital registration certificate can be driven immediately. The authorities will then send stickers and vehicle documents within a few days.
You can find the relevant websites for registration in your district on the websites of the responsible state authorities, as the implementation of online vehicle registration is the responsibility of the federal states and local governments. From September 1st, they will be obliged to make the relevant portals available.
