Everything you need to know about THG
What Exactly is THG-Quote (Treibhausgasminderungsquote)?
The German government is supporting the use of e-vehicles by providing different incentives, and (THG-Quote / Treibhausgasminderungsquote / Greenhouse Gas Reduction Quota) is one of them.
If you reduce or save co2 emissions in the transportation sector, for example by purchasing an e-scooter, you can receive some revenue per year from the government! Yes, you read that right. Whether you are a private owner of an e-vehicle or a business, you can claim money under “Greenhouse reduction quota” or THG.
How does your e-scooter get funded by the THG-Quote?
The goal behind THG is to reduce greenhouse emissions in the transport sector. Companies that are either involved in petroleum products or emitting CO2 gases have to, in a way, finance emission-free and environmentally friendly projects. According to this bill passed by the German Government in 2021, the greenhouse gas reduction quota (Treibhausgasminderungsquote / THG) can now be claimed for electric scooters up to 45 km/h.
This is certainly a piece of good news for everyone who wants to own an e-scooter like unu.
If you buy an e-scooter like unu, you can claim a certain amount of bonus from the government. Please note that you can’t claim this for an e-scooter via subscription, but only if you buy it.
How to claim this bonus? Do you receive it one time or multiple times? Can it pay back your entire investment in your unu scooter? We have tried to answer all your questions in this article.
You can read more about the new german bill about THG on the website of the Federal Environment Agency Of Germany.
Why getting an e-scooter and claiming a Greenhouse reduction bonus (THG) is a smart decision?
Whether you are a business customer or a private owner of an e-vehicle, THG payout is yearly! Eventually, revenue from the THG bonus can almost pay back the full price of your e-vehicle. However, the payout varies annually, hence the total savings can not be predicted in the beginning.
Just to give you an idea about the trend, the greenhouse gas reduction rate was 3% in 2015 and will be increased to 22% by 2030. This implies stricter regulations and more THG obligations for companies producing emissions. Every year you might get more revenue for your e-scooter and as mentioned previously your purchase price might be fully paid under this bonus.
If you want to know more about this incentive, you can read more about THG / Greenhouse gas reduction quota in Germany: from its origin to the present day, in this article.
Claiming THG for your e-scooter
To get the THG quota, you need the " Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I" (registration certificate part I), which you can get from your "Zulassungsbehörde" (registration authority) through voluntary registration. This also means you will get a proper license plate through the registration authority. For this process, it can be helpful to inform your registration authority in advance.
Everything you need to know before applying to Greenhouse reduction quota
To apply for the THG premium, there are a few small hurdles to overcome, but in principle, it is simple. You have to know what to do.
The THG is new, therefore not everyone at the registration authority has heard about it, so be patient and come prepared.
- To apply for the THG premium you have to say goodbye to the former topic "small GDV insurance license plate" (if you currently have GDV insurance for your scooter). If you have bought a new vehicle, then the topic of GDV license plates does not really concern you anymore anyway, because you will apply for registration in the office for the new vehicle and then must get a motor vehicle liability insurance. More about that in a moment.
- In Germany 50cc scooters like the unu Scooter & unu Scooter Classic are not required to be registered like cars or motorcycles, they are “zulassungbefreit” similar to speed pedelecs and e-kick scooters, therefore usually these are not registered.
- The following applies to everyone: you need the "Certificate of Registration Part I" to apply for the THG bonus. You can get this from your vehicle registration office with the help of a “voluntary approval”.
- So you make an appointment at your local vehicle registration office on the subject of "first registration, voluntary registration, re-identification on request" etc.
Everything you need to consider is nicely explained in this comment, even though It’s in German, the translation is a good enough guide for applying for THG.
How to apply for the THG for E-scooter like unu (up to 45km/h)
Follow the steps:
1. You need the "Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I" (registration certificate part I) to apply for the THG premium. You can get this at your car registration office with the help of a "voluntary registration". To qualify for the THG quota, scooters however, need to be registered. This can be done at the local registration office for approximately €75.
2. You need the following documents for the registration
- Valid Id card
- COC (Certificate of Conformity) of the electric scooter. This is provided by unu for you.
- Proof of purchase/invoice: One more document which is provided by unu for THG registration.
- eVB (electronic insurance confirmation): eVB is available online & offline with many providers. One of the service providers is LVM versicherung.
3. After the successful approval and the receipt of the "Certificate of Registration Part I", you now have to decide whether to claim THG payout by yourself or avail a third-party service.
4. Either way you need "Registration Certificate Part I". More information about next steps can be found at the registration office or with the trusted resources online. More about claiming Treibhausgasminderungsquote with service providers is briefly explained in the next section.
An easier way to claim Treibhausgasminderungsquote
There are third-party companies, such as eQuota, who specialize in Treibhausgasminderungsquote services. This option allows you to get your money faster than the regular process. Other companies are also listed here: They take a fee from you. And there are more providers in the market.
Benefits of THG for Commercial Use:
If you are a company or business interested in having an e-scooter as a company vehicle, THG makes it super cost-effective. You can apply for THG for your entire e-scooter fleet! And the cherry on the top is that the payout is yearly on a single unit.
THG payout is also tax-free!
Conclusion and final notes about thg for electric vehicles
Doesn't matter if you are a private or commercial owner of unu; governments across the world are providing more incentives and subsidies when it comes to sustainable mobility solutions. Did you know that you can apply for an additional subsidy for your e-scooter on top of the THG/ Greenhouse Gas Reduction bonus? German Federal Government e-mobility subsidy programs that make purchasing an electric scooter even more affordable are listed here.