Germany sets up agency to boost electric cars

The German Government has set up a new agency to push the pace of electric car development after the auto industry missed out on chances to exploit its early breakthroughs with hybrid technology. Annette Schavan, minister for research and education, said the agency would coordinate the efforts of 30 different research institutes and be funded with 44 million euros from the Government's 81 billion euro stimulus package. Last month the German government set aside 500 million euros of funding for the construction of electric charging stations and programmes to boost battery technology in Europe's biggest car market. The Government, which has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 from 1990 levels, hopes to see one million electric cars on the road by 2020 at the latest.