“Our members and their official brand dealers promote electric cars with great effort, from advertising to personal
sales pitches. Now the Federal Council (cabinet) comes up with this possible rule – a disservice to electromobility,” said Andreas Burgener, director of the auto-schweiz importers group.
“Customers who buy or order a vehicle now will think twice about whether they should go back to petrol or diesel.”
The government has proposed a series of increasingly tough measures to conserve energy as shortages of gas and power loom that could lead to rationing in a worst-case scenario.
One draft rule would curb the private use of electric vehicles unless urgently needed for work, shopping, or visiting the doctor or religious ceremonies.
The proposal is putting a chill on sales of electric cars, jeopardising the sector’s prospects of reaching targets for reducing carbon emissions, auto-schweiz said.
A survey among its members had shown the market share of electric cars and plug-in hybrids could rise to over 50% in 2025 from just under half now, it added.
The government has said it could curb non-essential use of power, such as illuminating shop windows, using mobile heaters, or lighting at night. It could order around 30,000 companies to save up to 30% of power usage in an extreme scenario. As a last resort it could shut parts of the grid in revolving blackouts.
Source: Economy - investing.com
