EmoG amendment: EV privileges planned until 2035
The Bundestag has approved the extension of key EV rules until the end of 2035. They will only take effect after approval by the Bundesrat.
On November 5, 2026, the Bundestag approved an amendment to the Electromobility Act that is intended to extend key rules on privileges and identification for electrically powered vehicles until December 31, 2035. The change will only become effective if the Bundesrat also gives its approval. The Electromobility Act has been in force since June 2015 and is currently limited until the end of December 31, 2026. Under the amendment, the entire law would no longer expire automatically; instead, only certain rules on privileges and the identification requirements would no longer apply on the stated date.
No nationwide automatic entitlement
The law creates a framework within which municipalities can order benefits for electrically powered vehicles. These include battery-electric cars, plug-in hybrids, vehicles with range extenders and fuel-cell vehicles. The decisive factor remains the optional principle: the federal law does not create an automatically valid entitlement everywhere. Whether a benefit actually applies depends on the respective local regulation and signage.
- reserved parking spaces, for example at charging stations
- parking and stopping in public spaces
- use of certain roads or lanes, including bus lanes
- exemptions from access restrictions
- reductions or exemptions for parking fees and fees for parking permits
New tool for resident parking
The amendment is intended to explicitly add the option of exempting electric vehicles from fees for resident parking. This, too, would not be a general free-parking pass. Cities and municipalities decide for themselves whether to introduce such a rule, which zones it applies to and which requirements must be met. For drivers, this means that even after the amendment takes effect, the benefits can differ from one municipality to another.
E plate remains important
In practice, visible identification is often a prerequisite for using privileges. The E plate is not issued automatically in Germany and is not mandatory; it must be actively requested. Local signage is also relevant, for example with supplementary sign 1010-66 “Electrically powered vehicles.” If the use of a parking space or area is tied to an E plate, a warning fine may still be issued despite the car being electric if this plate is missing. Until the Bundesrat gives its approval, the current legal situation will continue to apply.