Electric mobility : the castle of peace, of the auto bosses

The dispute, the Volkswagen-chief Herbert Diess, with its commitment to battery-electric vehicles had triggered, is supposedly settled. In a "very short, constructive discussion" had Diess and the heads of Daimler, Dieter Zetsche, BMW, Harald Krueger, as well as VDA President Bernhard Mattes on Wednesday evening on a "common Position" agreed, said Thursday a spokesman for the industry Association. A dissent in the case of the "big line" didn't give it, this was all conversation participants "after a few minutes to clear," it said in the case of a participant of the round. Elsewhere in the speech, however, was of a rather fragile castle of peace.

"European Battery Union"

VW said, meanwhile, in cooperation with the North-volt-consortium prepared a large industrial battery cell manufacturing in the North of Sweden. With other partners you've found to a "European Battery Union" together. "The primary goal of a much broader competence in the battery cell manufacturing is," said Volkswagen. To participate in the tender of the Federal Ministry of the economy, providing one billion euros in start-up financing for a battery cell manufacturing in this country. More than 30 companies from all possible sectors of the economy, from car manufacturers, chemical companies, recycling specialists, have reported in the Ministry.

priority infrastructure

The topic of electric mobility was the Association of the trigger of the recent dissent in the car. The inroads that VW chief Diess, does not want to stay long with hybrid vehicles, but purely electric drives, surprising many in the industry. The Board of management, chairmen of the big three German manufacturers, so VW, BMW, and Mercedes, agreed generally on the Expansion of electric mobility, including the promotion of Plug-in hybrids. Also, the increased focus (and funding) on the Expansion of the charging infrastructure, as well as the strengthening of the demand side is a common goal. This should be with the policy discussed. "The Expansion of the infrastructure and the political support is an absolute priority," it said in the case of a car manufacturer on Thursday. It would not make sense to build more infrastructure for charging stations, hydrogen gas stations, or to synthetic fuels – at the same time. The car bosses do not assume that hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars to market in the next ten years to Mature. The VDA will soon publish the common positions of the manufacturers and suppliers.

speed limit is no longer an issue

While manufacturers have settled their dispute for the time being, beige, continues the discussion on the National platform for the future of mobility controversial. On Thursday, the working group 1, which deals with issues of climate protection and of transport met again. A few weeks ago had been discussed by members of the Public violently, what relevance could have a speed limit in this country for the protection of the climate. On Thursday this was not an issue. It was more a question of how many electric cars in the coming decade can be expected, with a view to the necessary infrastructure (charging stations, energy networks), the realistic demand and the offer of the manufacturer. Accordingly, the question was discussed, how many vehicles with an internal combustion engine at the end of the 2020s can be built.

a Difficult group

In the group of 20 representatives from industry and environmental associations, the railway, the ADAC seats. the Bicycle club ADFC and the IG Metall. Next Monday, the working group wants to continue their deliberations. The Federal government has set up a platform for the future of mobility, which includes a total of six working groups. The aim of the platform is a "greenhouse gas - neutral and environment friendly transport system, which allows for both passenger and freight transport an efficient, high-quality, flexible, available, secure, resilient, and affordable mobility".

North volts built in Sweden

The VW group as the world's largest car manufacturer, with the Manipulation of exhaust cleaning systems in diesel, these drives vehicles brought substantially into disrepute. That was the end of 2015. Well Volkswagen with its brands – including Audi and Skoda, Seat and Bentley – so energetic on electromobility like no other manufacturer. With the new "European Battery Union" wants to dedicate VW, with its partners from several EU countries, the entire value-added chain: from the procurement of raw materials across the cell technology to Recycling. Participants of the consortium had partners from industry and research, the leadership lies with VW and the North volt. The project North volt was launched, among others, by former Tesla managers, and is supported, for example, Volvo, Vattenfall and BMW. The European investment Bank with an initial funding of € 52 million. If the plans of North volt become a reality, then around four billion euros, however, are required to produce cells for up to 600 000 electric cars.