Dusseldorf At the Handelsblatt Auto Summit in 2021, Daimler boss Ola Källenius declared that he would be focusing on emission-free cars by 2035. In doing so, he agreed to the declaration of the World Climate Conference on emission-free vehicles. “The Glasgow Declaration does not conflict with what we have already said,” said Källenius. “This statement creates a kind of momentum. Companies have to support the political process. ”There could hardly be a greater commitment than if an automobile manufacturer were to invest all of their capital and development resources in a new, CO2-free technology. He also announced that Daimler would phase out hybrid vehicles by the end of the decade.
Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess countered: “In 2035, too, it may make sense to drive cars with renewable raw materials in Latin America. You need combustion engines for that. ”They are then climate-neutral. The main brand VW wants to get out of business with combustion engines in Europe between 2033 and 2035, and a little later in the USA and China.
BMW boss Oliver Zipse highlighted BMW’s electrical initiative. At the same time, however, he also very clearly rejected bans: “A quick ban only ensures that this technology is no longer developed further, which is harmful to the environment,” said Zipse. He also emphasized: “It’s not just about the emissions of the vehicle, but about the entire footprint of the industry.”
Despite the debate about his person, Diess said he felt he was being adequately supported in the transformation of the group and was certain that he would still be VW boss in a year’s time. At the same time, however, he admitted: “Of course we have to change the company and that includes breaking up structures. The need for change is not always immediately apparent to everyone. Leaving the company alone would be dangerous for everyone. ”
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More: The previous episode of Handelsblatt Disrupt can be found here.