Merkel: Future of combustion engine central topic at motor show

The future of the internal combustion engine and car manufacturing in Germany will be central topics at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2017 in September, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her annual summer press conference in Berlin. “How do we get modern drive technologies […] without neglecting the combustion engine?”, asked Merkel. The software updates and buyer’s bonuses offered to customers switching away from old diesel cars are “not sufficient” to improve air quality in German cities so that driving bans can be avoided, said Merkel. She aims to add “another element” to the solution at a meeting with some of the most affected municipalities on 4 September. The chancellor wants to turn these cities into clean mobility leaders. Asked about Germany likely missing its 2020 climate targets, she said that “diesel cars are not the issue when it comes to CO₂ emissions”. 

For background, read the CLEW article Why the German diesel summit matters for climate and energy factsheet The debate over an end to combustion engines in Germany.