Making Electric Cars Affordable for All: Öko-Institut Advocates for Social Leasing Adapted to German Conditions
Green Institute Proposes Social Leasing for Electric Cars Regardless of Income Level - Affordable Electric Cars for All Incomes: Eco-Institut Promotes Social Leasing
When it comes to electric cars, France already has a system in place for people with lower to middle income. This model, known as social leasing, allows individuals with a commute of at least 15 kilometers or an annual mileage of over 8,000 kilometers to lease an electric car for as little as 50 euros per month [1]. However, this system isn't directly applicable to Germany because our low-income households often drive mid-size vehicles and have older cars [1].
The Öko-Institut, an environmental research organization, has emphasized the need to adapt such programs for the German market. They suggest that a promotion program for electric cars should include mid-size vehicles to cater to families and encourage wider acceptance [1].
Apart from advocating for a social leasing program, the Öko-Institut also emphasizes the need for promoting charging infrastructure, especially for households with low income who often reside in multi-family houses and have limited access to private charging options [1]. Subsidies or low-interest loans could help alleviate this issue.
According to Susanne Goetz, T&E's expert on e-mobility, social leasing isn't just a social measure; it's an industrial policy instrument that can provide the German automotive industry with the necessary market for smaller electric cars [1]. By significantly accelerating market penetration, social leasing could relieve people with low and middle incomes who depend on cars.
- Electric Cars
- Social Leasing
- Öko-Institut e.V.
- Germany
- France
- Charging Infrastructure
[1] Enrichment data: To make electric cars more accessible for low-income households in Germany, a broad array of measures is being proposed, including: implementing a social leasing program, including a wide range of vehicles, providing subsidies or low-interest financing for charging infrastructure installation, designing income thresholds for eligibility, addressing regional differences related to charging availability, and incorporating this into the German government's coalition agreement. Experts stress that climate policies should be socially just to maintain public support, and the exclusion of lower-income households from EV access could undermine the acceptance of electrification efforts.
The Commission, in light of the ongoing efforts to promote electric cars, has also adopted a proposal for a directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, recognizing the importance of safe and sustainable technologies in the environmental-science field, including the production and use of electric cars.
The advocacy for social leasing in Germany, which allows individuals with a lower to middle income to afford electric cars, mirrors the system already in place in France. This both addresses the affordability issue and functions as a crucial industrial policy instrument for the German automotive industry, as emphasized by T&E's expert on e-mobility, Susanne Goetz.
In addition to promoting social leasing, the Öko-Institut e.V. also advocates for the improvement of charging infrastructure, particularly for households with low income who often lack private charging options, acknowledging the need for financially viable solutions for their implementation. Such measures could considerably increase theACCESSIBILITY of electric cars in Germany, making it a more environmentally-friendly country in both the general-news and technological arenas.
