Slovakia more than before sees its future in electromobility. On Wednesday, the Parliament approved the bill on the provision of subsidies for the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles. The program starts on November 1 and the contribution will be provided for new vehicles powered by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. The contribution may reach up to 10,000 euros or 25 percent of the vehicle's price.
"The demand for electric vehicles is not as high as we would hope for, yet I believe that with the changes in the pricing policy of the car manufacturers and the new subsidy programs, the demand among Slovaks will rise," thinks the Economy Minister Peter Žiga.
Moreover, the production of electric cars in Slovakia is also expanding. This segment is regarded as the future of the automotive industry. After the carmaker Volkswagen kicked off the production of electric vehicles in its Bratislava branch in 2013, the Trnava-based carmaker PSA is now starting a large production of electric Peugeot 208. The production of a new electric model is also expected in the town of Nitra where Jaguar plans to manufacture the electric Land Rover Defender. According to Slovakia's Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, Slovakia as one of the leaders in car production should not close its eyes to technological progress.
"Let's keep in mind that with the automotive industry turning to electromobility, the demands on the numbers of the workforce will decline. The more electric vehicles produced, the lower the need for labour capacities. For us it is crucial that the electric vehicles are made also in Slovakia, and not moved to the carmakers' home countries, as this would endanger the whole automotive industry in Slovakia," stated Pellegrini on Wednesday.
