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Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing on January 13th in the Bundestag
Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa
Transport Minister Volker Wissing has reiterated his opposition to a general speed limit.
The FDP politician said on Monday at the "Handelsblatt" energy summit in Berlin that he understood that the topic was on people's minds.
»But it is a topic that does not solve the problems in the mobility sector, especially in the car sector, at all.
It's a very small topic, even if it's a very emotional topic.« At the request of the FDP, the traffic light coalition spoke out against a general speed limit on motorways.
Wissing said he was relying on the use of more digital traffic control systems, on the digital control of traffic flows.
CO2 savings could be achieved better with intelligent, digitally controlled traffic control than with a "rigid" speed limit coming from the analogue world.
"What bothers people about the general speed limit is this rigid specification," said Wissing. "There are not only supporters, there are also critics, and they say: It bothers us if I have a free motorway and then get flashed at 135. And vice versa, you also have to understand that a busy freeway with unlimited speed can pose a risk.« Wissing went on to say that intelligent control is better than a »hard, analogue ban«, because it also means that you can take measures to save CO2 could install better.
Wissing said in general that the transport sector must make a major contribution in order to achieve climate goals.
"We must act," said the minister.
Waiting is not an option.
Strong, attractive local public transport is needed, a strong railway, climate-neutral trucks, attractive and safe cycle paths and footpaths and a switch to climate-neutral mobility in the car sector.
Electric cars before, but always »technology-open«
Wissing once again made it clear that the technology available for this is e-mobility, but that the intention is to remain »technology-neutral«.
A priority topic is the faster development of a nationwide fast charging network for electric cars.
He did not want to commit himself to 15 million purely electrically powered cars in Germany by 2030. "We want electrically powered vehicles, of course the hybrid is also a contribution to this," said the FDP politician. When asked, Wissing referred to the coalition agreement, according to which there was only talk of electric vehicles. But one should have the ambition to do as much climate protection as possible. Wissing's statement on the coalition agreement contrasts with the fact that the number "fully electric" is specified elsewhere in the contract.
The difference could be significant given that in 2021 only about half of the electric cars registered were purely electric. The so-called plug-in hybrids have been criticized because their electric range is limited and they are often almost exclusively fueled with conventional fuel. The grants for the purchase of plug-in hybrids should expire at the end of the year. In a recent "Tagesspiegel" interview, Wissing spoke of "fully electric" vehicles, but in the Bundestag, on the other hand, of electric vehicles in general.
Wissing also did not want to commit himself to the role of climate-neutral so-called e-fuels in cars, with which combustion engines could continue to be operated.
"Openness to technology" is important to him when it comes to climate protection.
"Of course, e-fuels also make an important contribution." However, he indicated that initially there would not be sufficient quantities available for cars and that the fuel could therefore be used in heavy goods or air traffic.
Car buyers should now look around for opportunities to drive CO2-free immediately.
ak/dpa/Reuters
