2023-09-03 09:19:02
MUNICH (dpa-AFX) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will open the IAA Mobility car and transport fair in Munich on Tuesday, but most of the first presentations will have already taken place by then. This year, Chinese automakers are attracting attention. Manufacturers like BYD, Saic or Nio are bursting onto the German market with their electric cars. Their bosses want to talk regarding the future of e-mobility at the show, along with the bosses of VW, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Tesla boss Elon Musk is no longer on the list of attendees. The American electric car group, which has grown rapidly, is however present at the IAA with a small stand. The show’s “celebrity” factor is expected to be assured to the public by Hollywood actress Natalie Portman, who wants to talk regarding the climate.
It was BMW that almost opened the ball for the IAA on Saturday. The Munich automaker presented for the first time a car close to series production of its fully electric “New Class”, which will be marketed in 2025. Presentations by VW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Chinese automakers and suppliers like Bosch, Denso, ZF and Continental. Toyota and the other major Japanese automotive groups are not present at this IAA. Even the Stellantis group, with brands like Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat, is only represented by its German subsidiary Opel.
The automotive industry association (VDA) has moved the IAA from Frankfurt am Main to Munich and wants to make the former motor show a colorful event for “sustainable and intelligently connected mobility solutions”. Deutsche Bahn Chairman Richard Lutz and Lufthansa Chairman Carsten Spohr will also speak at forums. And in downtown Munich, the public will be able to “discover and try as many things as possible” for six days. These range from self-driving minibuses to car testing to a bike, cargo and e-bike test track in the English Garden.
Munich’s first IAA two years ago attracted more than 400,000 visitors despite Corona restrictions. We now expect more.
Radical climate activists like SmashIAA, Sand im Getriebe or Die Letzte Generation have announced their intention to disrupt the running of the IAA. Already last week, roads had been blocked several times. On the closing day of the IAA, September 10, three dozen environmental associations and political groups called for a large demonstration under the slogan #blockIAA. Three thousand participants are announced./rol/DP/he
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