The 2026 grant for plug-in hybrids
A plug-in hybrid or range extender qualifies if it meets one of two technical limits and is registered in time. Where to find the figures and what the grant is worth.
Worked through by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Does your plug-in hybrid qualify?
Grant for this hybrid
€3,000
| CO2 at most 60 g/km | met |
| Range at least 80 km | not met |
| For comparison: battery electric | €4,500 |
Either condition is enough. First registration by 30 June 2027.
Plug-in hybrids and range-extender cars are funded in 2026, but not all of them and not for long. Such a car qualifies if it either emits at most 60 g of CO2 per kilometre, measured as the weighted combined WLTP figure, or can drive at least 80 km on electricity alone. Either condition is enough. Both values are on the EU certificate of conformity (CoC, Übereinstimmungsbescheinigung) under items 49.4 and 49.5. First registration in Germany must fall between 1 January 2026 and 30 June 2027; for battery electric cars the window runs to the end of 2029. Amounts are lower than for a battery electric car: €3,500 in the first income band without children, €2,500 in the second, €1,500 in the third, and €500 more per child. For the period from July 2027, BAFA says the federal government is examining a new scheme based on real-world CO2 emissions; nothing has been decided. A plug-in hybrid is not exempt from vehicle tax and earns no GHG quota payout.
Two routes to eligibility
For cars with a combustion engine and a plug, the funding guideline does not look at design but at two measured values. Either the weighted combined CO2 output is at most 60 g/km, or the purely electric range in the city cycle is at least 80 km. The “or” matters: a heavy hybrid with a big battery can exceed the CO2 limit and still qualify through range.
| Vehicle (illustrative) | CO2 (49.4) | Range (49.5) | Qualifies | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact hybrid A | 24 g/km | 72 km | yes | CO2 |
| SUV hybrid B | 68 g/km | 86 km | yes | range |
| Large hybrid C | 74 g/km | 61 km | no | none |
| Range extender D | 12 g/km | 160 km | yes | CO2 |
The vehicles in the table are examples, not any maker’s models. For your car, only what is on the CoC counts. Brochure figures, configurator data or reviews are not enough, because BAFA looks at the certificate of the actual vehicle.
Finding the figures on the CoC
The EU certificate of conformity comes with every new car, often on paper in the vehicle folder, sometimes as a PDF from the dealer. It is numbered. Two items matter for the grant:
- 49.4: the weighted combined WLTP CO2 figure, in g/km.
- 49.5: the electric range in the city cycle (Equivalent All Electric Range city), in km.
If CO2 is above 60 g/km, BAFA’s leaflet on supporting documents requires the CoC as proof of range. Below that, the leaflet does not ask for the CoC. If the CoC is missing, the manufacturer or dealer can issue one.
What a plug-in hybrid brings
| Household income | No children | 1 child | 2 children | Battery electric, no children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 | €3,500 | €4,000 | €4,500 | €5,000 |
| €52,000 | €2,500 | €3,000 | €3,500 | €4,000 |
| €70,000 | €1,500 | €2,000 | €2,500 | €3,000 |
| €84,000 | €0 | €2,000 | €2,500 | €0 |
| €89,000 | €0 | €0 | €2,500 | €0 |
In every band the hybrid is €1,500 below the battery electric car. Children work the same way: €500 more per child and a €5,000 higher income limit. The small calculator above checks both technical conditions and works out the amount for your household.
Worked example: a family with a hybrid estate
A family with one child and household income of €56,000 orders a plug-in hybrid estate with a list price of €44,000. Its CoC shows 31 g CO2/km and 78 km electric range; it qualifies through CO2 even though the range is just under 80 km. The grant is €3,000, the price after the grant €41,000. A comparable battery electric car at the same price would come to €39,500. BAFA pays the grant into the keeper’s account after registration; the dealer does not deduct it at purchase.
Three misconceptions about hybrids and the grant
- “Every plug-in hybrid is funded.” No. Large hybrids with high consumption and short range miss both limits.
- “The brochure range counts.” No. The value on the CoC of the actual car, measured in the city cycle, decides; larger wheels can change it.
- “Ordering by June 2027 is safe.” No. First registration counts, not the order.
The deadline at the end of June 2027
A plug-in hybrid must be first registered in Germany by 30 June 2027. What counts is the registration date, not the date of the purchase contract and not the delivery date the dealer promised. A car registered on 1 July 2027 gets €0 under the current guideline. If you register on the last possible day, you can still apply until 30 June 2028 and must keep the car until 29 June 2030.
With long delivery times, check the contract: is a delivery date firmly promised, and what happens if it slips? A grant that hangs on a single day is a risk no dealer carries unless it is agreed in writing.
After July 2027: announced only
BAFA writes that for the period from 1 July 2027 the federal government is examining funding for plug-in hybrids and range extenders based on CO2 emissions in real-world use, to encourage as much electric driving as possible. How that would be measured, what amounts would apply and whether it will happen at all is open. This site therefore works with zero for registrations after 30 June 2027 and will only add a new rule once it is published. What is known about the programme’s overall run is under how long it runs.
Tax and quota: two drawbacks
Two advantages of battery electric cars are missing for a hybrid. The vehicle tax exemption does not apply; a plug-in hybrid pays under section 9(1) no. 2 KraftStG for engine size and for CO2 above 95 g/km. With 1,498 cm³ and 30 g/km that is €30.00 a year. And the GHG quota payout that battery electric cars earn every year is not available, because the Federal Environment Agency’s estimate only covers vehicles without a combustion engine. The tax is worked out on the vehicle tax calculator, the quota rules are under GHG quota rules.
What stays the same for every drive
- A new M1 passenger car, bought or leased, first registered in Germany to the applicant.
- Apply only after registration, at most 12 months later.
- Holding period of 36 months; income limits and child rules as for battery electric cars.
- No price cap on the car and no official list of models.
Whether a particular car on the market meets the conditions is best checked on the CoC of that vehicle. An overview of electric cars with prices and registration figures is under eligible models.