An e-car is connected with a public charge base in Berlin, Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to drastically increase the number of charging stations for electric cars in Germany to give consumers more confidence to switch over to electric from internal combustion engines. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday she wants to drastically increase the number of charging stations for electric cars in Germany to give consumers more confidence to switch over to electric from internal combustion engines.
Speaking in her weekly video podcast, Merkel said she wants Germany to have 1 million charging stations by 2030. Germany currently has about 21,000 charging stations.
The comments came ahead of her meeting Monday with automobile industry executives as part of efforts to help Germany’s transport sector meet emissions targets.
Germany is home to several major automobile manufacturers, including Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen, which includes many subsidiaries such as Audi, Skoda and Porsche.
Volkswagen’s reputation was tarnished and its bottom-line hit by a widely publicised diesel emissions cheating scandal that violated rules to protect air quality.
But the Wolfsburg-based company is now leading the push into electric vehicles in Europe, launching its ID.3 battery-powered compact car at prices it says will make zero-local emission vehicles a mass phenomenon.
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