German Tesla customers must pay back electric car subsidies of nearly 40,000 crowns



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The story of Tesla and the German environmental bonus for electric cars came to a preliminary conclusion, where a large portion of Tesla customers are asked to reimburse 4000 euros to the authorities.

German customers of electric cars were able to obtain a reduction of 4000 euros – about 38 000 crowns – by buying an electric car with a starting price less than 60 000 euros (570 000 crowns) before VAT and other fresh.

This system was negotiated by the German authorities and the country's auto industry, and the price threshold allowed Tesla to be excluded from subsidies.

Model T stripped

In November 2016, Tesla removed a number of features the Model S sold in Germany to get the starting price within reach of the electric car discount.



Tesla Model S has a starting price of 70,000 euros in Germany, including VAT. "Comfort Pack", as Tesla calls it, includes features such as navigation, rear camera, internet radio, assistant caching, seat memory functions, fold-down mirror and the garage door opener. HomeLink.

About a year later, the German auto-bild magazine published a case where they claimed that the Tesla comfort package was in practice a scam and that it was impossible to buy the car without these characteristics.

Eventually, Tesla lost access to subsidies, even though the company claimed that the allegation of the paper was incorrect and that it had delivered cars without the comfort packages to German customers.

They wrote in a statement that prices were intentionally excluding Tesla and that they had planned to file a complaint with the European Commission. Instead, they chose to make a deal with the German authorities to sell the car without the comfort package.



The core of the battle is this comfort package, which Tesla had to make to qualify for the German environmental bonus for electric cars. This is necessary for all other options. Photo: Screenshot

Round trip

However, last March, Tesla buyers again benefited from a discount on electric cars after BAFA, the Federal Office of the economy and examined the case.

However, they have now found that Tesla buyers who bought a car before March 6 must refund the electric car rebate. According to Electrek, it is about 800 to 1050 customers.

In a statement, BAFA writes that they have been in contact with Tesla since March to get a solution for these customers and that they have entrusted Tesla with the task of proposing a solution before the 1st July. It is not Tesla and, because of the legal requirements, the money has to be repaid, according to BAFA.

Tesla says in a statement to Electrek that they will appeal the decision and that, in the meantime, they will cover the costs for the affected customers.

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