THG quota for fleet operators: who can claim and how
In short
- The registered keeper of each fully battery electric vehicle, including a company, can sell a THG quota once a year through a provider.
- Depot chargers that are not public do not earn on their energy; the payment is a fixed amount per registered vehicle.
- Plug-in hybrids do not qualify.
- Claims for a year must reach the Umweltbundesamt by 15 November of that year, and providers set earlier deadlines.
- Compare providers on guaranteed payout, contract length and payment date, not only on the headline amount.
If your company runs battery electric vehicles, it can earn money each year from the greenhouse gas reduction quota, known in Germany as the THG-Quote. The amounts change, but the mechanism is stable and worth understanding before you sign with a provider.
Where the money comes from
Companies that sell petrol and diesel in Germany must cut the greenhouse gas emissions of their fuels by a percentage set by law, and that percentage rises over time. One way to meet it is to count electricity used in electric vehicles. Fuel companies buy these certified electricity amounts, and that payment reaches vehicle keepers and charge point operators.
The Umweltbundesamt (UBA) checks applications and certifies the electricity amounts. It does not set the price. The price comes from the market and changes from year to year.
Two routes: vehicles and public charge points
The rules in the 38. BImSchV separate two cases.
- Non-public charging: for each fully battery electric vehicle registered during the year, a fixed estimated amount of electricity can be counted. The person or company the vehicle is registered to counts as the charge point operator for this purpose.
- Public charging: the operator of a publicly accessible charge point can claim the metered electricity delivered there.
For a typical depot, the first route is the one that matters. Your depot chargers are not public, so you do not claim the energy they deliver. Instead you claim a fixed amount per registered vehicle, whether it charges at the depot, at home or elsewhere.
What counts and what does not
- Only fully battery electric vehicles qualify for the per-vehicle route. Plug-in hybrids do not.
- The estimated amount is published per vehicle class. For cars, ADAC reports an estimate of 2,000 kWh a year. Check the current published value for your van classes with your provider.
- Each vehicle can be counted once per year. If you sell or transfer a vehicle mid-year after claiming, you must tell the new keeper.
- Proof is a copy of the registration certificate (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I). Providers keep these records.
Deadlines
For the per-vehicle route, the amounts for a year must be reported to the UBA by 15 November of that same year. For public charge points, the deadline is 28 February of the following year. Providers set their own, earlier cut-off dates so they can bundle applications, so a vehicle registered in December may miss that year.
Since 17 April 2026 the UBA charges a fee for each decision on reported electricity amounts, between €94.60 and €6,500 depending on the effort involved. Providers usually handle this, but ask how it is reflected in their payout.
Working with a provider
Most fleets use a provider who collects vehicle documents, applies to the UBA and sells the certificates. Compare offers on more than the headline amount.
- Is the payout fixed, or does it depend on the price the provider achieves later?
- Does the contract guarantee payment, or can the provider withhold it if it finds no buyer?
- How long does the contract run, and is the price fixed only for the first year?
- Can you upload a whole fleet at once, and how are vehicles added or removed during the year?
- When is the payout made?
ADAC has pointed out that some providers’ terms do not guarantee the advertised payout. Read the terms before uploading your fleet.
Bookkeeping
For a company, THG income is business income. Talk to your tax adviser about how to book it and whether VAT applies to your contract.
Quota levels and rules are reviewed regularly. This article reflects the rules as of October 2026.
How jump.ac helps
Our fleet reports list which vehicles were fully electric and registered in each year, which makes it easier to hand complete, correct data to your THG provider.
Sources
- 38. BImSchV (§§ 5–8): gesetze-im-internet.de/bimschv_38_2017/BJNR389200017.html
- ADAC, THG-Quote: adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/elektromobilitaet/elektroauto/thg-quote
Source: Umweltbundesamt, Vollzug 38. BImSchV: Anrechnung von Strom für Elektrofahrzeuge
