Germany Starts National Electric Mobility Platform

The EV endeavors of the German state became official this Monday, as Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel started the National Electric Mobility Platform (NEMP), a means for Germany to become the leader of the international electric mobility market.

The ceremony announcing the program was attended and is supported by all the country's carmakers, all converging towards the same goal: one million electric vehicles on Germany's roads by 2020.

"Electric vehicles promise a new world of mobility. The critical hurdles are efficient and cost-effective battery systems," Economics Minister Rainer Bruederle said in a statement after announcing a 12 million euros fund for battery development. "Mass production in Germany needs to happen quickly to strengthen the key automobile production sector in our country."

It is, however, unclear at this point how the Federal government will support the advent of the EVs. The general feeling among the country's leaders is that buyers of electric vehicles will not be supported by government incentives the likes of the now famous scrappage scheme.

Other measures to ensure the smooth entry of the EVs are however agreed upon. Among the many facilities offered to EV owners, free parking in inner cities and the possibility for EVs to use bus lanes are the government's favorites. Carmakers will be supported with developments funds, with some 190 projects already receiving state money.

"We still have no fully developed and price-competitive mass production vehicle available," Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer told the Berliner Zeitung, cited by earthtimes.org.

The full strategy for the implementation of EVs in Germany will be made public by Ramsauer later today.