Transport Minister Volker Wissing: Climate protection means freedom

In his first speech as a minister in the Bundestag, Wissing backtracked on the evening of the same day. “Every contribution to CO2 reduction is important,” he told Parliament. Mobility must develop in a way that is open to technology. At the Handelsblatt energy conference on Monday, Wissing justified his statements and at the same time outlined his plans for an electrified transport world.

Wissing made it clear: “My aim is to motivate people to think, so that they always choose the most climate-friendly type of drive for their individual requirements.” If possible, everyone should drive a fully electric car, which is usually completely sufficient for commuters.

But of course the hybrid car will continue to make its contribution to achieving the climate goals – just like synthetic fuels in aviation or in heavy goods traffic. “I definitely want e-mobility to be used quickly where it makes a lot of sense. We will accompany this accordingly with funding programs and the expansion of charging infrastructure,” announced Wissing.

At the same time, Wissing is pleased that many people would also like more cycle paths, more local transport and a better railway. “My goal is not to curtail the variety of life plans through a uniform state requirement,” said the liberal. He is in good contact with Bahn boss Richard Lutz. “People have to want to take the train.”

Read the entire interview here:

Minister, you recently caused confusion with statements that left the question: should only electric cars drive on the roads or do you continue to stand for openness to technology?
We have to be open to technology, but we also have to abandon the idea that there is a one-size-fits-all offer. We need different applications for air traffic, for shipping and for individual traffic.

But don’t you confuse all those who want to buy a new car if they sometimes say yes and sometimes no to synthetic fuels?
My aim is to motivate people to think, so that they always choose the most climate-friendly type of drive for their individual requirements. For example, the range of e-cars is often criticized: If it is 400 kilometers, but I commute less than 100 kilometers to work every day: what speaks against an e-car?

They want to have 15 million fully electric cars on the roads by 2030. How is that supposed to work?
We want electric vehicles. Of course, the hybrid makes a contribution to this. But ideally, they will be all-electric cars.

Wait a minute: does the target of 15 million vehicles relate to fully electric vehicles or also to hybrid vehicles?
We should have the ambition to do as much climate protection as possible.

Around 600,000 fully electric cars are currently driving on the roads. That would mean that from today onwards 1.6 million pure electric vehicles would have to be sold every year, that would be every second car. How is that supposed to work?
We cannot hesitate and wait until there is a solution. Many technological questions have not yet been finally clarified. That is why it is so important that everyone rethinks their behavior and sees what contribution they can make today to avoiding CO2 emissions. Electric cars can help in the short term. But of course e-fuels also make a contribution, for example in aircraft and heavy commercial vehicles. That’s why I’m happy about every liter that we don’t have to use elsewhere.

Does that mean that in five years we will only be able to buy pure electric vehicles?
We should take advantage of the opportunities to drive without emissions today. I want to invite everyone to do this, but at the same time remain open to technology. We cannot have the same solution in all areas.

Potential buyers are wondering whether there will be more or fewer subsidies for buying an e-car in the future. What are you planning?
In any case, I would like e-mobility to be used quickly where it makes a lot of sense. We will accompany this accordingly with funding programs and the expansion of charging infrastructure.

Does that mean there won’t be less funding in any case?
No, we want to make our contribution to climate protection.

You mentioned the charging stations. How do you intend to push the expansion there?
We should create as much charging infrastructure as possible together. Electromobility will obviously be part of our mobility mix, so it should be as simple as possible: through as many fast charging stations as possible, through decentralized charging options and all payment options. That’s the message. I support this path with funding programs as best I can.

How exactly do you want to create momentum, after all the goal was: one million charging points by 2030?
We’re taking a close look at what we can get going. But recently someone told me that a multi-storey car park with 300 parking spaces is to be built in a municipality, three of which should have charging facilities. Obviously a message didn’t get through. We will not be able to build the infrastructure of the future like this. Everyone must know that we can only remain as mobile as we are today if we achieve the climate protection goals. That’s why I’m so busy on the road. My job as Transport Minister is to ensure mobility. Waiting is not an option.

Let’s assume that the announced 15 million electric vehicles will be on the roads in 2030. Nevertheless, the climate targets in the transport sector would be missed by 50 percent. How do you deal with the gap?
The numbers drive me. That’s why I appeal to everyone to think about their own behavior today and not wait and see. My goal is not to curtail the diversity of life plans through a uniform state requirement. Many people expect more cycle paths and more public transport. Many wish for more punctual and more rail connections. That’s a good sign. It shows that people don’t just think about private transport. At the same time, I was Minister of Transport in a non-city. The reality there tells me that in the foreseeable future we will not be able to create a public transport service that corresponds to that in major cities. That’s why we need climate-neutral private transport there.

Where is the electricity supposed to come from when nuclear and coal-fired power plants are shut down and we then still need a lot of electricity for mobility?
These are indeed big questions. We know that we cannot exit coal-fired power generation immediately without moving into gas-fired power plants. The Minister of Energy deals with this task. Basically, however, the following applies: We have to move faster, accelerate planning processes. We have to think bigger because the task we have set ourselves with the conversion of the energy supply is gigantic.

They will have to import electricity from abroad to meet demand.
The truth is that we cannot solve this great task by putting it off into the future. We can only make it if we implement what is feasible today. We want to go this way. We missed a lot of opportunities in the past. We didn’t move fast enough. That’s why we have to be faster now.

The transport sector again missed its short-term target this year. What does your immediate program look like in order to stick to it again?
A short-term regulatory measure cannot have a quick effect. It is all the more important to remember that society as a whole is responsible.

Expanding local transport or the rail network takes a lot of time. The railway is supposed to make a big contribution, but is itself in a deplorable state. What does your emergency program look like?

We want to make greater use of the competition. It is a key to solving big problems. Deutsche Bahn will hire significantly more staff. We want to use the possibilities of digitization to become better. I am in close contact with Bahn boss Lutz. People have to want to ride the train. It has to be done. The track is very motivated. You want to. The federal government wants it too. That’s a good prerequisite.

Minister, thank you for the interview.

Sebastian Matthes asked the questions.

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