NOW GmbH, the new National Centre for Charging Infrastructure in Germany, is inviting tenders for the construction and operation of the largest rapid charging network yet to be built in the country. As if to say, the market has failed, now the state does the talking.

The Ducktrain is a new innovation from RWTH Aachen University. The Aachen-based company DroidDrive is developing an electrically driven articulated train consisting of trailers that are to swarm out autonomously in the delivery area. A first prototype has now started testing.

The Berlin transport authority BVG has added the first articulated electric bus to its fleet as part of a research project. Besides, delivery of a total of 90 e-buses ordered from Solaris has begun with the Urbino 12 Electric models about to enter service now.

In Germany, Cologne-region public transport operator Regionalverkehr Köln (RVK) has increased its fuel cell bus fleet with hydrogen buses from Solaris. From 2021, 15 Solaris hydrogen fuel cell buses will be successively integrated into RVK’s fleet.

The German Federal Ministry of Transport has presented 168 so-called ‘future cheques’ totalling 90 million euros as part of the Electromobility Directive. These cheques will help local authorities to purchase more than 3,800 electric vehicles and almost 2,000 charging options.

The German Federal Ministry of Transport and H2 Mobility have signed a declaration of intent to further expand the hydrogen infrastructure in Germany. It follows on from the first phase of expansion, which is to be completed by mid-2020 with 100 hydrogen filling stations.

At the “car summit” held at the Chancellery in Berlin, the German federal government and industry representatives have agreed on measures to boost electric cars sales. Purchase premiums and the number of charging stations will increase, while some questions remain unanswered.

The Federal Ministry of Transport is supporting hydrogen mobility with a further 23.5 million euros as part of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP).

Technology specialist Freudenberg Sealing Technologies and one of the largest shipyards for the construction of cruise ships, Meyer Werft, plan to equip next-gen cruise ships with fuel cell propulsion. First trials are set for 2021.

To reach its climate goals, Germany needs a massive transport turnaround to change how traffic looks like latest by 2030. Now the Federal Ministry of Transport is planning to invest up to 75 billion euros not only in railways but also electromobility.

The state of Berlin and public transit operator BVG are pushing ahead with the ramp-up phase for the procurement of electric buses and are purchasing a further 90 EVs. Polish manufacturer Solaris secured the contract and will deliver from spring 2020.

The German Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer wants to boost electric car sales by raising the ‘Environmental Bonus’ for purely electric cars from currently 2000 to 4000 euros by 2020. The measure would only apply to small battery electric or fuel cell cars with a purchase price of no more than 30,000 euros. 

At GreenTech Festival in Berlin, DHL Express and the DHL/Deutsche Post subsidiary StreetScooter just announced their cooperation in developing the ‘H2 Panel Van’. The van will be the first standard 4.25-ton electric utility van powered by hydrogen fuel cell – enabling a range of up to 500 kilometres.

The German Federal Council approved the Ordinance on Small Electric Vehicles (eKFV) today, which will soon allow electric kick scooters to be used on the road. However, the government will have to implement changes yet again as a prerequisite for final approval.

The German federal cabinet has passed the long-announced Small Electric Vehicle Ordinance (eKFV). Now it is up to the federal council to take the next steps. It could adopt the new regulations on 17 May so that the regulation would enter into force this spring.

IONITY will be fitting a total of 80 Tank & Rast rest stations in Germany with EV charging infrastructure. The two cooperation partners announced this at the unveiling of the first German HPC park at the Autobahn stop near Brohltal.

Germany’s Ministry of Transport wants to fund both battery and fuel cell electric trucks and those with alternative fuels. The bill is set to take effect this June with grants ranging from 12,000 to 40,000 euros depending on the trucks’ weight.

The German minister for transport Andreas Scheuer has handed over the first four grants for the acquisition of 2,000 new EVs and the required charging infrastructure as a part of the Clean Air 2017-2020 program.