New cars only: pre-registrations, used cars and buying abroad
The grant only covers cars registered for the very first time, and in Germany. What that means for pre-registered cars, demonstrators, parallel imports and purchases abroad.
Worked through by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Does your car count as new?
Eligible as a battery electric car
yes
| Vehicle type | fine |
| Place of first registration | fine |
| Funding window | fine |
The exact date counts for the window; mid-year is assumed here.
In 2026 the German EV grant only covers new M1 passenger cars, meaning cars registered for the very first time, in Germany, to the applicant. Pre-registered cars (Tageszulassung), demonstrators and factory registrations are excluded because they have already been registered once, and so is every used car. First registration must be on or after 1 January 2026, up to 31 December 2029 for battery electric cars and 30 June 2027 for plug-in hybrids. Because the application portal only opened on 19 May 2026, cars registered as early as January 2026 could be funded retrospectively, provided the application is made within 12 months of registration. Where the car is bought makes no difference, even outside the EU; what matters is first registration in Germany. If another EU state has already funded the same car, the German grant is ruled out. There is currently no rule that the car must be built in the EU, and no price cap either.
What “new vehicle” means
The funding guideline funds buying or leasing a new M1 passenger car that is first registered in Germany to the applicant. BAFA names the exclusions explicitly: pre-registrations, demonstrators, factory registrations and used vehicles. What they have in common is that first registration has already happened, to someone else. Mileage makes no difference: a demonstrator with 50 km is excluded just like one with 5,000 km.
| Vehicle | Qualifies | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New car, never registered, first registered to you in Germany | yes | first registration to the applicant |
| Dealer pre-registration | no | already registered once |
| Demonstrator | no | already registered once |
| Factory registration | no | already registered once |
| Used car | no | not a new vehicle |
| New car from abroad, never registered there | yes | place of purchase irrelevant, first registration in Germany |
| Parallel import with a foreign pre-registration | no | already registered abroad |
| Electric van, class N1 | no | not class M1 |
The small calculator above checks the three conditions of vehicle type, place and period for your case.
Why pre-registered cars are still offered
Dealers and makers register cars to themselves to hit sales targets and then sell them at a discount. That can be good value for buyers, but the federal grant is lost. A €4,000 discount on a pre-registered car is worth less than a new car with a €5,000 grant at the same list price for a first-band household without children, but more for a third-band household on €3,000. Check the first-registration date in the offer: if it is earlier than your own registration, the car is not a first registration to you.
Worked example: pre-registered or new
An electric car lists at €36,000. The dealer offers the same model as a pre-registration with a €4,000 discount, or new with €1,000 off. Whether the pre-registered car is better value depends only on your band.
| Household | Pre-registered | New with grant | Advantage of new |
|---|---|---|---|
| band 1, 0 children | €32,000 | €30,000 | €2,000 |
| band 2, 0 children | €32,000 | €31,000 | €1,000 |
| band 3, 0 children | €32,000 | €32,000 | €0 |
| band 3, 2 children | €32,000 | €31,000 | €1,000 |
A negative advantage means the pre-registered car would be cheaper. Above the income limit there is no grant, and only the discount counts. The sum leaves out the quota payout because it applies equally to both cars.
The registration window
The grant covers first registrations from 1 January 2026. The application portal only opened on 19 May 2026; people who had registered earlier could still apply. The only limit is the 12-month application deadline.
| Case | Registration | Battery electric in window | Apply by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered just before New Year | 20 December 2025 | no | n/a |
| Registered before the portal opened | 15 January 2026 | yes | 15 January 2027 |
| Registered on the day the portal opened | 19 May 2026 | yes | 19 May 2027 |
| Registered in autumn 2026 | 1 November 2026 | yes | 1 November 2027 |
At the other end are 31 December 2029 for battery electric cars and 30 June 2027 for plug-in hybrids and range extenders. What comes after those dates is under how long it runs.
Buying abroad
BAFA answers the question of purchases outside Germany and the EU with yes: where the vehicle was bought is irrelevant. What matters is first registration in Germany on or after 1 January 2026. Three points deserve attention when buying abroad:
- No registration abroad: the car must arrive on transfer plates or on a transporter and may not have been registered there normally.
- No foreign grant: comparable funding from another EU member state for the same car rules out the German grant.
- Documents in German: a contract in another language needs a certified translation.
A car you bring with you when moving to Germany that was already registered in your home country gets no grant. What else newcomers need to know is under new to Germany.
No price cap, no model list, no EU rule
Three assumptions persist and are not true for 2026. First, there is no price cap: an expensive electric car qualifies too if household income fits. Second, there is no official list of eligible models; BAFA only publishes statistics of approved applications by brand and model. Third, there is no requirement for the car to be built in the EU. BAFA refers to a European Commission proposal for an “Industrial Accelerator Act” that could contain such preferences; the drafts have no effect on today’s grant. Which models have been funded most and what they cost after the grant is shown under eligible models.
What to check in the purchase contract
- The description “new vehicle” (Neufahrzeug) and no mention of a pre-, dealer or factory registration.
- No first-registration date earlier than your own; if in doubt, ask for the vehicle identification number and confirmation that the car was never registered.
- For parallel imports: a statement that the car was neither registered nor funded abroad.
- The keeper: the car is registered to you, not to the dealer, a company or someone else.
- The expected registration date, especially for plug-in hybrids close to the end of their window.
Fuel cells and range extenders
Besides battery cars, the guideline funds fuel cell vehicles at the same amounts and over the same period. Range extenders are treated like plug-in hybrids: lower amounts, technical limits on CO2 or range, first registration by 30 June 2027.
Discounts and dealer bonuses
A discount on a new car does not rule out the grant. Manufacturer bonuses and dealer reductions are price cuts, not public funding, and can be combined with the federal grant. How the amounts add up is worked out in combining bonuses. The application after registration is described in how to apply.