• Merkel wants to drastically increase the number of electric cars charging stations.
   
• Berlin will explore cars run on hydrogen fuel cells.

Germany is likely to be equipped with one million charging stations for electric cars by 2030, said an upbeat German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her weekly video podcast on Sunday. The comment came ahead of her Monday meeting with the car industry as part of sustained efforts to help Germany’s transport sector meet emissions targets.

Merkel wants to take up the gauntlet and dramatically increase the number of charging stations for electric cars in Germany to boost consumers to switch over to electric from internal combustion engines.

Besides talking about Germany’s charging infrastructure, the German Chancellor infers that the who’s who at the meeting will discuss government and industry incentives meant for electric cars and the ways to shield auto industry jobs amid clamor to produce more eco-friendly vehicles.

Reportedly, the Prime Minister in Lower Saxony, Stephen Weil wants to see commitments for 100,000 public charging points in place by 2021. Germany currently has merely 20,000 charging points.

A supervisory board member at Volkswagen, Weil wants to leave no stone unturned when it comes to embracing battery-powered cars. In addition, Weil wants to see more charging infrastructure that will apparently help them market these cars successfully.

The meeting in the chancellery is the second of its kind which warrants agility, given that would-be buyers have pointed out the dearth of fuel infrastructure that is stopping them from championing electric cars.

As the government is eager to do away with gasoline and diesel-driven cars, apparently, they will explore cars run on hydrogen fuel cells, with the government and the industry sharing the cost of subsidies to woo buyers for both.

Though Merkel wants to preserve cars- and parts-making jobs, it appears fewer employees are required to construct electric cars vis-à-vis traditional ones.

Weil wants the city to ease provisions to fund compensations for short time working, provided industry becomes overstaffed. Weil further stated simplification of rental and property sector legislation has become indispensable that would open doors for more home and public charging points.

Reference Links:

https://in.reuters.com/article/uk-autos-germany-merkel/merkel-wants-germany-to-have-1-mln-electric-car-charging-points-by-2030-idINKBN1XD07X