VW head says German CO2 price “too low”

Germany's CO2 price in the transport and buildings sector starting at 25 euros per tonne in 2021 is "too low", Herbert Diess, CEO of German car manufacturer Volkswagen told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "I would still like to see a higher CO2 tax from politicians," he said and added, "let's take a look around Europe: In Sweden we have more than 100 euros per tonne, and it works well."

Volkswagen has initiated an ambitious transformation in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal. Under Diess, the world's largest carmaker has embraced electric mobility more vigorously than any other major auto company in Germany. " Earlier this week, however, Volkswagen was overtaken by US e-car producer Tesla in market value. The government initially proposed a starting CO2 price for the heating and transport sector of ten euros per tonne by 2021 but later adjusted the figure upwards.