Bad Homburg. Today, the Federal Government launched both the Climate Protection Act and its comprehensive climate protection programme. Reinhard Zirpel, President of the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK), commented: “Germany is setting itself ambitious climate targets. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector by 40 percent by 2030 will require enormous economic and technological efforts. The turnaround is the key: only if we succeed in bringing several million vehicles with alternative drivetrains onto the roads in the coming years will we be able to achieve our goals. Electric vehicles in particular, including battery-electric cars and plug-in hybrids, are already available to German customers in a wide variety, thanks in part to the offerings of international manufacturers. Some VDIK member companies offer fuel cell vehicles as well.”
The Federal Government is now creating a new framework for CO2 reduction. Zirpel continues: “The mix of CO2 pricing and individual measures sends a clear signal to motorists that it will be even more worthwhile to buy low-emission vehicles in the future. When designing the measures, however, it is important to maintain a sense of proportion. Mobility must remain affordable for everyone, especially for those who for various reasons cannot change trains. Even vehicles with conventional combustion engines will remain indispensable for years to come”.
International manufacturers particularly welcome the measures to promote low-emission vehicles. Zirpel: “In addition to supporting electromobility, hydrogen, e-fuels and biogas also play an important role for the German government. The technology-open approach is evident.” Individual measures such as the further development of the environmental bonus, the conversion of the motor vehicle tax to CO2 and improvements for electric company cars must be made more concrete. “Additional advantages for electric vehicles must not be placed too far into the future, but must take effect as soon as possible. If the higher bonuses will not be in place before 2021, customers could postpone the purchase of electric vehicles for over one year. This would not help climate protection,” says Zirpel. The resolutions also provide for broad support for the development of the charging and tank infrastructure for vehicles with alternative drivetrains. Zirpel: “That is right and the indispensable basis for other incentive instruments to work at all”.
