How Germany's EV Subsidy Cut Stopped Charger Rollout Dead in Its Tracks & Led to Layoffs!

Alpitronic Charger manufactured in 2023. Installed in late 2025. Why? 👇 I found it at a REWE supermarket here in Karlsruhe, Germany. A HYC 150, which replaced an old ABB 50 kW triple charger, in Dec 2025. Operated by Pfalzwerke, Germany's 6th largest CPO with ~1,750 charge points. But the 2-year gap between manufacturing and installation tells a bigger story. I have two theories. Theory 1: The new generation made the old one obsolete. In 2023, Alpitronic launched the HYC 200/400 with upgraded power stacks (100 kW vs. 75 kW). The market shifted to the newer, more powerful products and the demand for the HYC 150/300 dropped. This probably played a role. But I don't think it's the main reason. Theory 2: The subsidy cut broke the supply chain. In Dec 2023, the German government abruptly killed EV subsidies. The entire value chain froze: - Consumers held back on EV purchases - OEMs saw demand collapse - CPOs paused investments ("let's increase utilization first") - Charger orders dried up overnight Alpitronic's channel partners like GP Joule, The Mobility House, EWE Go had a problem. They have fixed purchase contracts with Alpitronic i.e. contractually obligated to take delivery of chargers every week/month or whatever frequency was agreed upon. So warehouses filled up. Cash flow got squeezed. What happened next: Ca. 21-33% discounts on HYC 150/300, the most popular products in the European DC fast charging market. They weren't selling for profit. They were selling at near purchase price just to survive. For every other European charger manufacturer, this was impossible to compete against. So perhaps this charger is likely one of the last units from those stockpiles. Therefore I am always vary of subsidies and its effect on supply chains. But these are my theories. Do let me know your thoughts on this situation! ____ Hi, I'm Haseeb. Automotive & E-Mobility Strategy Consultant and Analyst covering European EV Charging Infrastructure and Global Automotive Trends. Quoted in ICIS. Panelist at ICNC. Newsletter read by 2,000+ industry professionals. Services: - EV Charging Market Entry Strategy - Competitive Intelligence & Custom Research - Industry Speaking & Panels Feel free to reach out for collaborations! For Newsletter: Subscribe here 👇 Website (100% delivery rate): https://www.etechvolution.com/subscribe