Germany Pushes Expansion of Electromobility

BERLIN, November 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

Berlin wants to expand its role as the showcase metropolis for electromobility. The
charging infrastructure within the capital is to increase from 100 to 300 by 2013 and to
800 by the end of 2015. The Berlin senate has released a corresponding EU-wide tender.
Germany Trade & Invest will attend this year’s “The Battery Show” in Detroit from November
13 to 15 to present the industry’s latest prospects and developments.

An increasing number of municipalities have consulted the Federation of German
Industry for Electromobility for information regarding the advantages and savings
potential of electric cars – a clear signal to the industry that the topic of
electromobility will remain of importance. “There is certainly a lot to do, but the trend
lines show that if conditions are right, electromobility in Germany will become more than
just a short-term hype. Two recently passed laws that offer tax incentives to buyers and
users of electric cars will come into effect in 2013,” said Stefan Di Bitonto,
electromobility expert at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

Due to the high purchasing cost of an electric or hybrid vehicle, there will be a
future taxation reduction for company cars used privately. As the battery system usually
accounts for a significant portion of the price, the costs will be subtracted from the
taxed sum of the total car price. Moreover, all pure electric or fuel-cell vehicles are
exempt from the motor vehicle tax for the next ten years.

The private sector is also interested in the use of more economical and low-emission
vehicles. “Some companies are intent on converting parts of their fleet vehicles to
plug-in hybrids or electric cars in order to test them in a working environment. An
example of this is the German Post (DHL) who has recently announced their second testing
phase of 50 electric cars developed specifically for letter and postal delivery.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the
Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies seeking to expand
into the German market. It supports German companies that seek to enter foreign markets,
with foreign trade information.

        Germany Trade & Invest
        Andreas Bilfinger
        Email: andreas.bilfinger@gtai.com
        T: +49-(0)30-200-099-173

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SOURCE Germany Trade & Invest