The acquisition of the E-mark is not mandatory
When buying an electric car or plug-in hybrid, there are grants of up to 9,000 euros as part of the innovation or environmental bonus and tax rebates in the first few years. According to the Electromobility Act (EmoG) of 2015, all electric cars with batteries and fuel cell cars in Germany also qualify for the so-called E-mark. There is no obligation to attach this to the vehicle – but those who have it enjoy advantages on the road.
Hybrid vehicles also receive an e-mark if they do not emit more than 50 grams of CO2 per kilometer or the electric motor has a range of at least 40 kilometers. The special license plate can be recognized by the capital letter “E” to the right of the combination of numbers.
Parking, right-of-way and discounts for E-marked cars
“The EmoG serves as a basis for granting special privileges to electrically powered vehicles on public roads […] and enables the vehicles to be marked with the e-plate required for this purpose,” writes the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) on its website. Paragraph three of the EmoG specifies that there are privileges, “as far as safety and ease are concerned of traffic will not be affected.”
It lists four privileges that municipalities can voluntarily grant to e-plate vehicles:
1 – Parking on public roads or paths.
2 – The use of public roads and paths (such as bus lanes) that are normally reserved for special purposes.
3 – Exceptions to access restrictions or transit bans.
4 – Free parking or lower parking rates on public roads or paths.
Around 50 percent of the municipalities grant advantages for vehicles with an e-plate
Because municipalities are free to introduce the benefits on a voluntary basis and withdraw them at any time, road traffic privileges for e-license plate vehicles vary from city to city. According to R+V Versicherungen, for example, parking is free in Stuttgart, Hamburg and Dortmund, while the use of bus lanes is permitted in Düsseldorf, Karlsruhe and also Dortmund.
Every three years, the BMDV publishes a report on the implementation of the EmoG. The last data collection at the end of 2021 showed that almost half of the municipalities in Germany have implemented at least one priority for vehicles with e-plates specified in the EmoG, especially when parking.
Olga Rogler / Editor finanzen.net
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