VW launched its fully-electric ID.3 model at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this week, in an attempt to sway buyers away from ICE-powered vehicles going forward. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stopped by to see the car for herself.
Merkel spoke in favor of helping out the German electric car industry by putting a price on CO2 emissions, thus encouraging consumers to buy more environmentally friendly vehicles, reports Autonews Europe.
“We want to direct the behavior of people in a certain direction,” she said. “The pricing of CO2 is the right way to make clear that all innovations should follow the goal of emitting less CO2. If we do this in a long-term and accountable way, there will be the incentives to move innovation in the right direction.”
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The VW Group will be launching nearly 70 new electric models in the next ten years as it attempts to build its image back up while allowing the safeguarding of our climate to become an “innovation driver” for them.
“We are facing a genuine change of system that the automotive industry cannot tackle alone,” said VW CEO Dr. Herbert Diess. “For emission-free mobility to gain broad acceptance swiftly, we need a masterplan and more commitment from all parties, above all as regards the energy transition and the nationwide development of the charging infrastructure. The task now is for the Federal government to consistently continue along its path.”
Diess also emphasized how important it is to make e-mobility financially accessible even to low-income earners and small businesses. Such a strategy would include extending financial incentives for e-mobility to the used vehicle market too.
“The use of electric vehicles must be worthwhile for the consumer, otherwise they will not decide to use this form of clean mobility,” he added.
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