German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to bring together automotive executives, ministerial leaders, energy sector representatives, and union leaders on Monday for discussions on how Germany can realize its ambitious target of having 15 million electric cars on the roads by 2030, according to a government spokesperson.
Chancellor Scholz remains optimistic about achieving the goal, emphasizing the potential for success if automakers prioritize the production of more cost-effective and longer-range electric vehicles, said spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit during a press conference on Friday.
See also: German Chancellor Skeptical About Imposing Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles
However, recent developments, including a German constitutional court ruling last week deeming the reallocation of 60 billion euros ($65.44 billion) for climate and industry initiatives as unconstitutional, have prompted the government to seek alternative funding sources. This has raised uncertainties about various projects, including plans for expanding the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, a spokesperson for the transport ministry affirmed their commitment to rapidly expanding the charging network, highlighting that over 100,000 publicly available charging spots have already been established.
The coalition agreement of the German government initially aimed for “at least 15 million fully-electric passenger vehicles in 2030.” However, Transport Minister Volker Wissing relaxed the terms last year, broadening the scope to include both fully-electric and hybrid cars.
See also: German Chancellor Announces Expansion of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
According to the most recent data from the German federal motor authority KBA, as of October this year, there were 2.2 million cars with electric motors on German roads, with 1.3 million of them being fully-electric cars.
As Germany grapples with funding challenges and navigates constitutional complexities, the summit seeks to address key issues hindering the realization of the ambitious electric vehicle target.
