German Chancellor Merkel visits Volkswagen at the IAA

The Volkswagen ID.301 was the centre of attention on Chancellor Merkel’s visit to the Volkswagen stand at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt.

Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, reiterated the entire Group's commitment to e-mobility: “We want to continue making individual mobility accessible to everyone in future. That means harnessing innovative technologies to make the car cleaner, even safer and climate-neutral. E-mobility is the best and most efficient option for reducing CO2 emissions from transport.”

Diess underscored: “We are facing a genuine change of system that the automotive industry cannot tackle alone. 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 emphasised the importance of making e-mobility available for low-income earners and small businesses. He said this included extending financial incentives for e-mobility to the used vehicle market, maintaining the lower rate of company car taxation or free battery charging for vehicles priced at less than €20,000 ($22,200).

“The use of electric vehicles must be worthwhile for the consumer, otherwise they will not decide to use this form of clean mobility. Reducing CO2 even faster is only possible if e-mobility gains broad acceptance. That is the only right and necessary way to meet the ambitious climate protection requirements and the targets set out in the Paris Agreement that we are committed to fulfilling”, Diess said. Volkswagen wants to make the switch to electric vehicles as attractive as possible.

The Group will be launching almost 70 new electric models in the next ten years. The first vehicle in this new generation, the ID.3, just celebrated its world premiere at the IAA 2019. Further models from the ID. family will follow. Climate protection will become an innovation driver at Volkswagen.