Electric car financing after the environmental bonus: How the car loan works
23 Jun 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
The environmental bonus for electric cars is history, but the dream of electric vehicles lives on. We show you how to cleverly arrange your car loan for your electric vehicle even without the government subsidy of up to €6,750 and benefit from new advantages.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The government environmental bonus was discontinued in December 2023, making the financing of electric cars several thousand euros more expensive.
To compensate, many manufacturers offer their own discounts, and special eco-loans can reduce financing costs through lower interest rates.
Despite higher purchase costs, electric cars remain an economical alternative in the long term due to lower operating and maintenance costs as well as tax exemptions.
Der Kauf eines Elektroautos war lange Zeit eng mit dem Umweltbonus verknüpft, doch diese Ära endete abrupt am 17. Dezember 2023. An diesem Tag wurde das Förderprogramm der BAFA eingestellt, was viele potenzielle Käufer verunsichert hat. Die geplante Finanzierung, die oft eine Prämie von 4.500 Euro oder mehr einbezog, muss nun neu gedacht werden. Doch das Aus der staatlichen Subvention bedeutet nicht das Ende der E-Mobilität. Dieser Artikel erklärt, wie Sie die Kombination aus Autokredit für ein Elektroauto und Umweltbonus durch neue Strategien ersetzen, welche Herstellerrabatte es gibt und wie Sie die Gesamtkosten im Blick behalten, um Ihre Finanzierung optimal aufzustellen.
Status Quo 2024: The Abrupt End of Government Funding
The Federal Government discontinued the subsidy for electric vehicles, known as the environmental bonus, on 18th December 2023. This move was a direct result of a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, which led to a 60-billion-euro shortfall in the Climate and Transformation Fund. Applications submitted by 17th December 2023 will still be processed, but new applications have not been possible since. For buyers, this meant the loss of a grant of up to 4,500 euros from the government, which significantly reduced the purchase costs. This decision alters the basis for calculation for anyone who wanted to combine a car loan for an electric vehicle with the environmental bonus. The originally planned, albeit reduced, subsidy of 3,000 euros for 2024, intended until the end of 2024, has thus become obsolete. The loss of this amount now needs to be fully covered by financing or equity.
Manufacturer discounts in response to the end of subsidies
Many car manufacturers responded quickly to the end of the government bonus to prevent a drop in sales. Some brands temporarily fully covered the bonus for orders placed and registered by a certain date. For example, the Stellantis group guaranteed a discount of up to €4,500 for vehicles of its brands registered by the end of February 2024. Even though many of these initial offers have expired, manufacturers continue to offer model-specific discounts and attractive leasing conditions. It's worth carefully examining the current offers, as a discount of several thousand euros can partially bridge the financing gap. These discounts are now a key component in planning your affordable car loan. The changed market situation forces buyers to compare more closely and negotiate.
Recalculate your electric car loan: An example calculation
The removal of the premium directly affects the loan amount and the monthly payment. Let's take an electric car with a purchase price of 45,000 euros as an example. With the planned bonus of 4,500 euros, the amount to be financed would have been 40,500 euros. Without the bonus, the full 45,000 euros now have to be financed, which increases the monthly payment over a term of 60 months and an effective annual interest rate of four percent by about 83 euros. This difference adds up to almost 5,000 euros over the entire term. There are several adjustments you can make to reduce the monthly payment:
Make a higher down payment to reduce the loan amount.
Opt for a longer loan term, although this increases the overall cost.
Consider a financing with a final installment to keep payments low.
Trade in the old vehicle to lower the purchase price, as with a car loan with trade-in.
A thorough household budget calculation is now more important than ever to find the right financing structure.
Use special eco-loans as an alternative
Some banks offer special loans for environmentally friendly investments, which also apply to electric cars. These so-called "eco-loans" or "green loans" often have more favourable interest rates than conventional instalment loans. The interest advantage can be one percentage point or more, which means a saving of hundreds of euros over the term. These loans are a direct financial incentive that can at least partially compensate for the loss of the environmental bonus. The conditions are usually tied to the type of vehicle – it must be a pure electric or fuel cell vehicle. Comparing these special eco-loans for sustainable investments is an important step to securing the best possible terms. This makes financing more viable despite the lack of a government premium.
Remaining funding opportunities for e-car owners
Even though the major environmental bonus has been discontinued, smaller, often regional funding programmes still exist. An important area is the charging infrastructure. Although the nationwide KfW programme "Solar Power for Electric Cars" (442) has also been discontinued, some federal states and municipalities continue to offer grants for the installation of a private wallbox. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, up to 40 per cent of the costs for charging infrastructure in multi-family houses are covered. Furthermore, the labour costs for installation can be claimed for tax purposes, which can amount to up to €1,200 per year. It is advisable to check with your city or federal state about current programmes, as there is often untapped potential for savings here. These smaller grants add up and reduce the overall investment in electromobility.
Electric car insurance as a crucial cost factor
An often underestimated item in the total cost calculation is insurance. A specialised electric car insurance is essential, as it covers risks that do not exist with combustion vehicles. This primarily includes the protection of the battery, the most expensive component of an electric car. Good policies cover damage caused by user error, deep discharge, or overvoltage and offer high new value compensation for the battery, often for 24 months or longer. Comprehensive protection for the battery and charging cable can prevent costs of over 15,000 euros in the event of a claim. Choosing the right insurance package has a direct impact on ongoing costs and financial security. A well-thought-out cover is therefore just as important as choosing the right loan. This lays the foundation for carefree and economical electromobility.
More useful links
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive article on the environmental bonus, which describes in detail the government subsidies for electric vehicles.
The ADAC provides up-to-date information on the promotion of electric cars.
The Consumer Advice Centre Lower Saxony provides information in an article about the end of government subsidies for electric cars.
The DAT offers information on BAFA subsidies for used electric cars.
The Automobile Industry comments on the end of the environmental bonus and its consequences for customers and car dealers.
The Federal Ministry of Finance provides information on the federal budget, which forms the basis for subsidy decisions.
FAQ
Wie kann ich den Wegfall des Umweltbonus beim Autokredit am besten ausgleichen?
Sie können den Wegfall durch eine höhere Anzahlung, die Suche nach Herstellerrabatten, die Wahl eines günstigen Ökokredits oder eine längere Kreditlaufzeit ausgleichen. Eine Kombination dieser Maßnahmen ist oft am effektivsten.
Sind Kredite für Elektroautos teurer als für Verbrenner?
Nein, oft ist das Gegenteil der Fall. Viele Banken bieten spezielle „grüne“ Kredite für E-Autos mit Zinsvorteilen an. Der effektive Jahreszins kann hier niedriger sein als bei einem Standard-Autokredit.
Welche Förderungen gibt es noch für E-Auto-Fahrer?
Auch wenn die Kaufprämie weggefallen ist, gibt es oft noch regionale Zuschüsse für die Installation einer Wallbox. Zudem profitieren Sie von der bis zu zehnjährigen Kfz-Steuerbefreiung und geringeren Betriebskosten.
Was sollte eine gute E-Auto-Versicherung abdecken?
Eine gute E-Auto-Versicherung sollte unbedingt den Akku gegen alle Risiken (inkl. Bedienfehler, Überspannung, Tiefenentladung) versichern. Wichtig sind auch der Schutz für das Ladekabel und eine Neupreisentschädigung für den Akku von mindestens 24 Monaten.
Kann ich mein altes Auto in Zahlung geben, um den Kredit zu reduzieren?
Ja, die Inzahlungnahme Ihres alten Fahrzeugs ist eine sehr gute Möglichkeit, den Kaufpreis des neuen Elektroautos und damit die benötigte Kreditsumme direkt zu reduzieren. Dies senkt Ihre monatliche Belastung spürbar.
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