Ola Källenius
The Daimler CEO calls for a rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure.
(Photo: Reuters)
Duisburg The car manufacturer Daimler has ambitious climate goals. A year ago, CEO Ola Källenius announced that the Mercedes fleet should be completely CO2-neutral by 2039. As early as 2030, every second car should be powered electrically – either as a plug-in hybrid or as a battery vehicle.
That alone is obviously not enough for Källenius. He sees decarbonization as a holistic task and also makes the suppliers responsible: “We will encourage and motivate our suppliers that the supplied part is produced in a CO2-neutral manner,” said Källenius at the “#Neuland” congress in Duisburg.
The supplier’s carbon footprint will in future be a criterion for awarding orders at Daimler – initially a voluntary one, but over time it will also become a mandatory one, said Källenius. The goal is a completely CO2-neutral added value. Around 70 percent of the added value in Daimler vehicles lies with the suppliers.
For the Swedish CEO, a CO2-neutrally produced car only makes sense in combination with a real energy transition: “The electricity that is filled up must also be CO2-neutral, only then will it become a shoe,” said Källenius at the congress. “We need a rapid expansion of renewable energies or other CO2-neutral energy sources.”
In order for the mobility transition to succeed, an expansion of the charging infrastructure is of immense importance for Källenius. Not just in Germany, but from northern Sweden to southern Italy, the Daimler boss demands. In order to achieve the ambitious decarbonization goals, industry and politics would have to work hand in hand to expand the charging infrastructure quickly.
Last year 45,000 new charging stations were installed in Europe, according to a McKinsey study. In China, however, 250,000 new charging stations were built last year. In addition, China plans to invest the equivalent of 1.4 billion dollars in new charging stations this year.
The # Neuland Congress is organized by Rhein Ruhr City GmbH. The private initiative, which is led, among others, by the sports and event organizer Michael Mronz, is aiming for the metropolitan region to apply for the 2032 Summer Olympics. Comprehensive and digital infrastructure projects are an essential part of the concept.
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