German carmakers want govt support to expand alternative drives – media

German carmakers Daimler, BMW and VW are calling for government support to increase the number of e-cars, hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on German roads, reports business daily Handelsblatt. By the end of May, the carmakers want to develop a joint position paper under the umbrella of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Handelsblatt learned from company sources. They say the mobility transition is a “task for the whole society” and must be co-financed by the state through buyer’s premiums, tax rebates and investment in charging infrastructure. The carmakers also want lower electricity prices to make e-cars more attractive to buyers. The companies are yet to agree on which technology to pursue, Handelsblatt reports. VW is betting on fully electric cars, while BMW is calling for hybrid and fuel cell vehicles to be included in the future mix of technologies for passenger cars.

News agency dpa reported in March that BMW, Daimler and VW had agreed to focus on electric and hybrid cars rather than fuel cells, saying they didn’t believe fuel cells would be market-ready for another 10 years. German carmakers have announced plans to convert to electric car production step-by-step. VW has gone furthest with targets – called a “game changer for the industry” by environmental NGOs – to produce 22 million electric cars in the coming decade and go entirely carbon-neutral by 2050.