State to support electric vehicle development

The state will support the development of electric powered transport with €5.2 million, said Economy Minister Peter Žiga (Smer-SD) in Bratislava on Thursday. As he informed, €5 million will come from the recycling fund and €200,000 from the resources of the Automobile Industry Association. Each owner of a new electric car will receive a contribution of €5,000, while owners of hybrid cars will receive €3,000. "This is the first specific step towards supporting electromobility in Slovakia," said the Minister. Around 70 electric cars are sold in Slovakia every year, while there are around 250 electric cars and 600 hybrid cars on Slovak roads. According to Žiga, this is too small a figure for such an automotive superpower. "The primary endeavour is to see a hike to around 1,000 of these cars by the end of next year," said Žiga.