The official opening of the International automobile exhibition in Frankfurt, there were words of encouragement for the German Chancellor and a speech ban for Frankfurt’s mayor.
Chancellor Merkel visited during her tour of the IAA, the Mercedes Stand
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has called for the opening of the International automobile exhibition (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, the responsibility of car manufacturers. Germany’s “high mobility will be manufactured to your price, if not more efficient, more climate-friendly vehicles,” said she.
The European climate for 2030 “challenge targets”. To achieve these goals, “is a Herculean task for you and for us,” said Merkel at the car manufacturer.
Since 1990, the CO2 reduction had been achieved “in the total amount of traffic”, in addition, improper shutdown of the facilities would have led in the midst of a “huge change”, of the mobility to a loss of confidence in the customer.
Lack Of Infrastructure
Merkel called for a rapid Expansion of the infrastructure. The reliability of the charging infrastructure for the success of electric mobility is of the utmost importance. 20.000 charging points are still not sufficient. “We can do this, than to be Germany on the front line,” said Merkel.
The Chancellor also announced that by 2022, along all the car of the new mobile radio standard 5G cars will be available, and two years later, also along the Federal roads. The technology is important for new digital features in cars.
“The Most Profound Transformation”: Car Representative Matt
Also the Prime Minister of Hesse Volker Bouffier and the President of the German Association of the automotive industry (VDA), Bernhard Mattes, spoke at the opening of the exhibition. The car industry was in the “most profound Transformation that has had to deal with our industry ever,” said Matt.
And he admitted: “Yes, too many vehicles in the city affect our quality of life through noise, exhaust emissions, and land consumption.” Over-regulation are not the solution; the prohibition of discussions at risk “the acceptance and thus the success of the Transformation”. In addition, the VDA President, criticized the Expansion of renewable energies and the “charging infrastructure in public space” previous to slowly.
“More buses and cars, but not SUVs”
Not to speak of the Frankfurt mayor Peter Feldmann (SPD) was against it. The car Federation VDA, which organizes the fair, have changed the Protocol, said field’s office Director Nils Bremer of the newspaper “Frankfurter Rundschau” and the “Hessischer Rundfunk”.
As both media reports citing a corresponding speech manuscript from the mayor’s office, and wanted to put Feldmann at the IAA apart-opening critical of the automotive industry. “Frankfurt needs more buses and cars, but not SUVs,” was, therefore, his claims in the manuscript. In addition, the mayor wanted to commend the Reports of protesters against the IAA.
The VDA had declared to the “Hessischer Rundfunk”, Feldmann was not provided, unlike in previous years, this year, from the outset, as a speaker. Instead, the Prime Minister of Hesse Bouffier (CDU) was also as a representative of the city of Frankfurt present at the opening.
“Somewhere between Ebola and North Korean missiles”
The IAA this year will be under strong pressure. The number of exhibitors decreased from almost 1000 on the last IAA in 2017 to just over 800 in this year, the exhibition area is about 16 percent smaller. “It is no longer a square, but to media coverage”, was head of the VDA Matt said before the opening.
This media attention also want to use the car of the enemy, have been announced for the weekend of massive protests against the Climate impact by the car industry. Environmentalists accuse the industry, the transition to electric mobility will not advance.
Greenpeace activists demonstrate in front of the exhibition centre, the IAA against harmful emissions
The works Council, the heads of the car manufacturers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen warned of the exhibition opener against a demonization of the auto industry. “In the public debate, one gets the impression at the Moment, the car is nothing more than a single risk. In the danger scale it’s somewhere between Ebola and North Korean missiles,” said the top VW employee representatives Bernd Osterloh, the “Handelsblatt”.
Also, the works Council Chairman of Daimler and BMW, Michael Brecht and Manfred Schoch, turned against the increasing criticism of cars, and specifically to the city of all-terrain vehicles (SUVs). The industry is moving, by driving the electrification of transport, said Schoch.
Soon, only emission-free?
Thursday is the first of two days for trade visitors, on Saturday you can also see the wide audience the latest innovations at the largest automotive exhibition in the world.
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VW revealed ID 3 electric car at the IAA
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VW revealed ID 3 electric car at the IAA
Greens leader Robert Habeck had requested in advance a fundamental change in the policy. “It is the clear legal requirement requires that, from 2030 onwards, only emission-free cars a new are approved for. Until then, annual increase in quotas for emissions-paving-free cars in the way,” said Habeck of the “Rheinische Post”.
In addition, the Car should be reformed-tax basic and strictly on CO2 emissions and on energy consumption are aligned, said Habeck. Small, low-energy cars should be relieved, energy-guzzling cars are taxed as SUVs will be significantly higher. There was nothing gained if the car corporations, car, more, more and more terrain-like cars produce, even if they go with electricity instead of Fuel, so Habeck.
bea/tko (dpa, afp)