German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched plan to put at least 1 million electric cars on the German roads a decade from now.
That’s the goal established on Monday by executives from the country’s automakers and energy companies under a new alliance called “National Platform for Electric Mobility”.
Merkel said the aim was to have one out of every 45 cars be electric-powered within 10 years, saying there was need to develop more sustainable technology and rely less on fossil fuels.
The government should “proactively support the introduction of new technologies,” Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn said. He asked for more funding to support the development of electric vehicles and the necessary infrastructure.
Other countries such as the U.S., China, France and U.K. have already launched comprehensive initiatives to develop electric vehicles and turn their respective industries into a hub for future mobility, backed by taxpayer money.
[source: Dow Jones]