VW wants govt incentives to spur EV sales

BERLIN: Volkswagen is calling for greater government support to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles.

"We need a clear signal and targeted state incentives to overcome private buyers' scepticism and boost demand in this segment," sales chief Martin Sander said.

Sander noted that the majority of new electric vehicle registrations currently come from corporate customers, who benefit from separate tax breaks.

The remarks came as VW celebrated the delivery of its 1.5 millionth fully electric car from its ID series at the company's Emden plant, which produces only EVs.

Lower Saxony state Premier Olaf Lies praised the factory as a model for the industry's transition.

"The ID.7 is a strong piece of Lower Saxony and proof of the state's ability to transform," he said.

According to VW, the ID.7 Tourer was the most registered electric vehicle in Germany in the first half of 2025.

But the slow roll out of EVs remains a drag on Germany's struggling auto industry.

"German manufacturers have slept through the shift to electromobility," said Frank Schwope, an automotive analyst and lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Berlin.

He added that German brands have struggled to appeal to younger and more modern car buyers, particularly in China, the world's largest auto market.