Half of the Swiss would buy a combustion vehicle again, the other half an electrified vehicle.
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Swiss Garage Day 2023Switzerland is divided on e-mobility
During the “Swiss Garages Day” in Bern, this year it was a question of discussing the topic of the electric car versus the combustion car. A survey by the trade magazine “Autoinside” shows: Switzerland is divided. Half of people would buy a combustion vehicle again, the other half electrified vehicles.
The objective of the mobility of the future is clear, the way to achieve it is not yet. At the largest professional congress of the Swiss automotive industry, the speakers and the 850 guests debated this with vivacity. “We support the policy objective of reducing CO emissions2 individual motorized traffic,” said Thomas Hurter, President of the Swiss Automobile Professional Union (UPSA), at the 17e «Day of the Swiss mechanics» at the Kursaal in Bern. “We even have to reduce CO emissions2 from today. But for this, a unilateral focus does not lead to the goal”. Experts are also arguing about this: is the future the electric car, the combustion car – or both?
UPSA President Thomas Hurter opened the 17th “Swiss Garage Owners Day”.
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Car and public transport
Friborg economics professor Reiner Eichenberger warned that unilateral subsidization of e-mobility would not bring the desired effect; the “motor pope” Mario Illien pleaded in favor of e-fuels. The former top manager of Volkswagen, Jürgen Stackmann, is wrong: for him, the future is in e-mobility. A round table showed how open the debate is and how bridge-building: Green Liberals chairman Jürg Grossen met Astra chief Jürg Röthlisberger and Bernard Lycke of the European Motor Trade Association . The points of view were certainly different in detail, but not on the fact that neither the car nor public transport is the future – but only the two together. Jürg Röthlisberger provided a powerful quote on this subject which also characterizes the congress: “Mobility was not invented to feel guilty – it is there to feel good”.
Nearly 850 participants at the 17th “Swiss Garage Owners Day” were welcomed by UPSA President Thomas Hurter.
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The Swiss Professional Union for the Automobile had already extensively discussed the debate on the future of mobility in a special issue of its specialist magazine “Autoinside” devoted to alternative propulsion. There is also a survey conducted specially by the polling institute Link. It shows that 45% of respondents would opt for a car with a combustion engine (34% petrol, 11% diesel) if they were to buy a car in the next twelve months. Electrified vehicles (20% electric cars, the rest hybrid or plug-in hybrid cars) also reach 45%.
No ban on combustion engine vehicles
And the ban on combustion engine vehicles planned by the EU for 2035 is rejected by the majority (50% “not correct” against 38% “correct”). Instead of prohibitions, we are therefore asking – as the Professional Automobile Union also does – for technological openness. Unlike the EU, Switzerland should not ban combustion vehicles, the National Council’s transport committee having rejected a parliamentary initiative to do so. Things are also moving on the EU side: During a live link with Brussels, Daniel Mes, co-responsible for the EU’s “Green Deal” climate pact in the cabinet of European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermanns , said that the use of synthetic fuels would still be “examined”.