MUNICH, SEPT 23 – BMW has rejected government-funded short-term measures to boost Germany’s slumping automotive sector, instead calling for long-term measures to boost consumer demand for electric vehicles, German news agency (dpa) reported.
“The German automotive sector does not need short-term solutions that will disrupt the market,” the Munich-based carmaker said yesterday ahead of a summit on the sector scheduled for the same day.
Among the measures supported by BMW are the full provision of charging facilities throughout the country, both in public areas and at home, as well as cheap electricity.
“If the cost for one kilometer of travel using electricity is higher than using petrol or diesel, then the main incentive for electric vehicles cannot be felt by many customers,” he said.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck and the automotive sector will discuss the crisis faced by the sector in a video conference yesterday evening.
Executives from Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes will be joined by representatives from the German Automotive Association (VDA) and the influential trade union, IG Metall.
There have been calls for steps to boost demand for electric cars, in line with the government’s policy to phase out the use of internal combustion engines, but it is unclear whether specific decisions will be made at the summit. – Named
