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Local Germany
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Local Germany
'Gute Fahrt': The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
1. Acronyms Auto (car) and Fahrzeug (vehicle) are clear enough, but Germans also like to throw in the term "PKW" from time to time for good measure. A short form of Personenkraftwagen , which distinguishes a passenger car from a lorry, or "LKW" ( Lastkraftwagen ). People in Germany tend to take their acronyms seriously, so it's generally a good idea to try and pronounce the letters like a native -- "pe ka vay" and "el ka vay" respectively. The same rule applies to makes of car. A beamer is an overhead projector in Germany, never a car and certainly not a sacred BMW. BMW should always be pronounced "be em vay". Germans can be quite sniffy about this, so bear in mind that a VW is a "Fow Vay" in Germany if you want to avoid giving offence. 2. Road rage (Wut am Steuer) Of course, there are times when you might want to give offence. Instances of tailgating (drängeln), Sunday driving (Sonntagsfahren) and double parking (parken in der zweiten Reihe) are enough to make anyone's blood boil over. By far the most common word shouted from car window to car window in Germany is Arschloch , which hopefully needs no translation. If you make the mistake of shouting before looking, and the object of your anger turns out to be a lunatic spoiling for a fight, then you might want to gib Gas (step on it). The second most common expression shouted by drivers in Germany (very often at newcomers to the country unfamiliar with the rule) is rechts vor links (right before left). Advertisement You will hear this whenever you inadvertantly carry straight on at an intersection, rather than stopping to let the cars on your right turn into the road. The rule -- which seems to be an example of the triumph of regulation over reason -- is rendered void whenever you see a yellow diamond-shaped street sign at the intersection. 3. Trouble with the law In common with many other countries around the world, the German authorities take particular delight in setting up speed cameras ( Blitzer ) wherever drivers least expect them -- on a bend, for example, or where the speed limit ( Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung ) is inexplicably lowered for a few hundred metres. If you do get blitzed , you'll probably receive a letter from the police a few days or weeks later, featuring a black and white mugshot of you behind the wheel of your car. If it's not your first offence, or you were driving wildly over the Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung , you may get points on your licence. READ ALSO: Everything you need to carry in your car while driving in Germany In German, this is known as Punkte in Flensburg (points in Flensburg) -- a reference to the location of Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority or Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt. A parking ticket is known as a Straffzettel or Knöllschen. Advertisement 4. Breaking down People tend not to break down in the cars anymore ( habe eine Panne ) or suffer from punctures ( Platten ) all that often. If you do have trouble with your car, there's a chance you may have bought a lemon, or a Montagsauto in German (a car that was built on a Monday, when the workers were still tired and hungover from their weekend's exertions. Alternatively, you may just have run out of petrol: " I have run out of petrol." Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen. READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why it's illegal to run out of fuel on the German Autobahn Here's the list in full: Auto - car Fahrzeug - vehicle PKW - passenger vehicle LKW - lorry He is tailgating me - Er drängelt mich I can't stand Sunday drivers - Ich kann Sonntagsfahrer nicht ausstehen Hurry up. I'm double parked - Bitte beeilen Sie sich. Ich habe in zweiter Reihe geparkt Step on it! - Gib Gas! Right before left - Rechts vor links I was caught twice by speed cameras - Ich wurde zweimal von einem Blitzer erwischt I have six points on my licence - Ich habe sechs Punkte in Flensburg A parking ticket - Ein Knöllschen I have broken down - Ich habe eine Panne. A lemon - Ein Montagsauto I've run out of petrol - Mir is das Benzin ausgegangen READ ALSO: German word of the day: Knöllchen
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First Post
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
France, Germany, UK…Tesla sales slump across Europe as electric car market surges
Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority, K.B.A., data shows that registration of new Tesla cars is more than a third of the same month last year, despite being Europe's prime location for car sales read more Tesla to launch its robotaxi services in Austin by June 12. AFP More and more car buyers are becoming wary of Tesla across Europe. Germany has recorded a drop in EV sales for the fifth month in a row, although the country saw an overall increase in electric vehicle purchases. Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority, K.B.A., data shows that registration of new Tesla cars is more than a third of the same month last year, despite being Europe's prime location for car sales. Elon Musk's Tesla has been witnessing a steep drop in sales, which partly has precedence on his embrace of right-wing ideology. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Musk officially backed Germany's far-right AfD party ahead of the country's parliamentary elections. He is also a strong critic of unions, with Tesla having clashed with labour organisations in Scandinavian countries. The Tesla CEO contributed almost $300 million towards re-electing U.S. President Donald Trump and later pushed for the Trump administration to reduce the size of federal agencies. This sparked protests at Tesla dealerships throughout Europe. Other EV makers boom in Germany It's not like car buyers in Germany have given up on electric vehicles altogether. Sales of China's BYD cards, Tesla's main rival, have grown ninefold in Germany. The company took Tesla's title as the world's largest EV seller earlier this year. The company has been rapidly expanding into European markets, with plans to establish local production at its plants in Hungary and Turkey to counter the EU's higher tariffs on Chinese-made EV imports. Additionally, BYD intends to raise up to $5.2 billion through a share sale in Hong Kong to support its global expansion, according to a source familiar with the deal. Tesla sales plunge in other countries The Musk-run company has been losing customers in other European countries, too. Tesla's new car sales in Britain tumbled more than 45 per cent from a year earlier in May, preliminary data from research group New AutoMotive showed on Wednesday. The automaker sold 1,758 units in Britain last month, down from 3,244 a year earlier, the data showed. Sales in France dropped by 67 per cent, in Spain by 29 per cent and in Sweden by 53 per cent. However, Norway remains a rare bright spot, with sales tripling thanks to the revamped Model Y. Why have Tesla's sales dropped? Analysts attribute Tesla's struggles to growing competition from Chinese brands, EU tariffs on Chinese EVs, and consumer backlash against CEO Elon Musk's political affiliations and activism in Europe. Musk downplayed the issue, calling the European market 'quite weak,' but data shows rising EV adoption overall, suggesting Tesla is losing market share rather than the market shrinking. Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory supplies Europe but has faced production retooling delays and market headwinds, contributing to the sales slump.
New York Times
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Germans Are Buying More Electric Cars, but Not Teslas
Tesla sales in Germany dropped in May for the fifth month in a row, as demand for the electric vehicle maker continued to slide across much of Europe, despite Elon Musk's efforts to turn his focus away from his U.S. government activities and back to his companies. Registrations of new Tesla cars in Germany, Europe's largest car market, dropped more than a third compared with the same month last year, data released from the country's Federal Motor Transport Authority, K.B.A., showed on Tuesday. Tesla sales in other European countries have also remained depressed, falling more than 67 percent in France and 29 percent in Spain in May. Only Norway stood out as an exception, with Tesla selling 2,600 cars in May, more than triple the number sold in the same month last year. Sales were led by deliveries of Tesla's newly revamped version of its most popular vehicle, the Model Y. In neighboring Sweden, Volkswagen sold nearly twice as many of its latest electric model, the ID.7, as the new Model Y from Tesla, whose overall sales in the country dropped 53 percent. Mr. Musk has tried to downplay the extent of Tesla's losses in Europe, telling Bloomberg News in an interview at the Qatar Economic Forum that although it was the region where the brand faces its greatest challenges, 'The European car market is quite weak.' But data from European markets does not support that claim. In Germany, sales of battery-powered cars grew nearly 45 percent in May, compared with the year prior. In Spain, overall sales of electric cars grew 72 percent, while Tesla sales slid 19 percent. In Germany, demand for BYD, Tesla's main E.V. rival, rose ninefold, the strongest showing of an electric vehicle producer from China. The company, which overtook Tesla as the world's top seller of electric cars earlier this year, has been making inroads in Europe, despite facing tariffs of 17 percent imposed by the European Union in 2024. Although Mr. Musk has left his role at the White House, Tesla sales have been affected by his foray into politics. In April, the company reported that its vehicle sales fell 13 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, as profit plunged to its lowest level in four years. The company has been hurt by protests against Mr. Musk's support for President Trump and several far-right parties in France, Germany and Italy.
Local Germany
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Local Germany
Everything that changes in Germany in April 2025
Cuts to Elterngeld Elterngeld (or parental allowance), which mothers and fathers receive as a partial wage replacement benefit while staying home after the birth of a child, is to be reduced in scope from April onwards. Going forward families with a high income level will no longer be eligible for the benefit. Instead it will be limited to single parents and couples who have a taxable annual income of €175,000 or less. This new limit applies to children born on or after April 1st this year. Trial period begins for digital vehicle registration documents A test run for digital vehicle registration documents will begin in April. From the beginning of the month, interested motorists will be able to test an app developed jointly by the Federal Motor Transport Authority and the Federal Printing Office. The app allows user to show their vehicle registration documents on their smartphone. If it proves successful, drivers would no longer need to obtain and keep a physical copy of these documents in their vehicles. A physical vehicle registration certificate. In April a trial period will begin for people who would rather keep a digital copy of the certificate in their smartphone. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marijan Murat New questions added to the theoretical driving test Speaking of driving, anyone who wants to get a driver's license will face a slightly revised list of questions on the theory test from April 1st. Some questions have been deleted due to legal changes while others have been added. DPA reported that questions on turning right, on right of way regulations at intersections, and on certain traffic signs have been changed, for example. The official list of the potential questions used for drivers' licence theory tests in Germany is changed every six months. A significant change to the questions was made in April of last year . LISTED: The non-EU countries that have drivers licence exchange agreements with Germany Advertisement Electronic Travel Authorisation required for travel to Great Britain Anyone who wants to travel to the UK from countries without visa requirements, such as Germany and other EU states, will need an electronic travel authorization (ETA) in addition to their passport starting in April. According to the British Home Office, the new regulation will apply to Europeans from April 2nd, 2025. An ETA costs 10 pounds (roughly €12) and must be renewed after two years at the latest. READ ALSO: ETA application glitch bars entry to UK for some British dual-nationals Electronic patient records on the horizon A trial run for the electronic patient record (ePA) has been running since January 15th, so far only in three regions with around 300 participating practices. In mid-March, the majority federally owned digital agency Gematik wants to check whether the system is stable and can be introduced nationwide. If the agency gives a positive verdict, this could be possible from April. For patients who don't opt out of the system, all of their health records such as X-rays, doctor's letters and laboratory results would be stored in the ePA. The system is intended to make it easier for different medical practices and pharmacies to more easily share and review patients' files. According to the plans of the Federal Ministry of Health, every insurance patient in Germany is to receive the ePA – unless they object. READ ALSO: The big healthcare changes in Germany in 2025 Advertisement Easter holidays from April 18th to the 21st Workers in Germany can enjoy two public holidays in April: Good Friday on April 18th and Easter Monday on the 21st. Easter Sunday, of course, falls between the two on April 20th this year. A Swiss chocolate Easter egg is seen in craft fair. Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP If you want a bit more of a vacation than the four day weekend, you could request off April 14th to the 17th to effectively have a 10 day block off - from Saturday April 12th until Monday the 21st. Note that most businesses - including supermarkets - will be closed on the public holidays on Friday and Monday, in addition to Sunday as usual. You'd be advised to stock up on everything you need for the holiday weekend ahead of time, as shops are typically extra busy on the Saturday in between. READ ALSO: What's open and closed in Germany over the Easter weekend? Germany set to get a new coalition government Germany's incoming chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, has repeatedly said he wants to form a new government "by Easter", meaning before Sunday, April 20th. That would be a markedly fast formation of a new coalition government for Germany, but so far leaders of the conservative CDU/CSU parties and from the Social Democrats (SPD) have demonstrated their ability to move quickly, having already begun coalition talks and brought fourth a radical new spending proposal . According to an internal document leaked in the German press on Tuesday, the CDU wants to sign off on a coalition agreement in the week of the 14th. If all goes to plan, Germany could officially elect Friedrich Merz as Chancellor as soon as April 23rd. TIMELINE: How soon will Germany get a new government? Advertisement Wage increases for certain craft workers According to a report by Bonn's General Anzeiger newspaper, some craft workers can expect a salary increase from April. In the construction industry, wages are to rise by 4.2 percent in the west and by five percent in the east. This is to apply to workers in building construction, civil engineering or road construction.
Euronews
07-02-2025
- Automotive
- Euronews
Tesla sales crash in Germany as CEO Musk continues political activism
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla saw car sales drop by 59% year-on-year in Germany last month, according to the country's Federal Motor Transport Authority. Tesla, the world's largest EV maker which has its only European factory in Germany, registered 1,277 new cars in the country in January. That's the lowest monthly figure seen since July 2021. It's also despite the fact that Germany's wider EV market was up 54% in January, reducing Tesla's market share from 14 to 4%. Different reasons for sales slump There are a number of factors that could have contributed to the slump in sales, according to experts. One likely possibility is CEO Elon Musk's rising status as a political figure and his vocal support for far-right figures. As Germany prepares for a federal election later this month, Musk has publicly backed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The group is notably campaigning for the mass deportation of migrants in Germany and is known for its eurosceptic and pro-Moscow views. Elon Musk made a surprise appearance at an AfD event last month, telling attendees: 'It's good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.' 'There is too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that,' he said - seemingly referring to Germany's historical Nazi government. 'Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents,' Musk argued. The world's richest man also hosted Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD, on his social media channel X last month. Declines in France and the UK Musk's foray into German politics comes as the South African entrepreneur has cemented himself as President Donald Trump's right-hand man in the United States, securing a role as a 'special government employee'. Musk's mandate is to roll out the government efficiency initiative known as DOGE, a radical cost-cutting programme. Aside from Musk's political allegiances, experts note that the slump in Tesla sales could be linked to the manufacturer's Model Y rollout. It's possible that some customers held off buying Tesla vehicles in January as they are waiting for the new Model Y, set to launch in the first half of this year. Others suggest that inventory shortages may have contributed to the slump, after Tesla made a push to boost sales late last year. The carmaker also saw sales drop in France and the United Kingdom last month by 63% and 12% respectively.
