Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck is hoping for stronger demand for electric cars from companies.

The German government is strengthening the depreciation conditions for electric vehicles and extending company car privileges to more expensive vehicles, Habeck said on Monday at the opening of a battery research center of the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. "I expect another push in demand from the companies," he said. "Now it's time to give another boost so that what is happening everywhere in Europe and basically outside of Europe also happens in Germany, namely to increase demand for e-mobility again."

The electric car market in Germany is currently weakening. Among other things, the abrupt discontinuation of the scrapping bonus at the end of 2023 caused demand to slump. In the first six months, 16.4 percent fewer electric cars were registered for the first time in Germany than a year ago.

(Report by Victoria Waldersee, written by Christina Amann, edited by Ralf Bode. If you have any queries, please contact our editorial team at Berlin.Newsroom@thomsonreuters.com)