Greening the Car? Conflict Dynamics within the German Platform for Electric Mobility

Abstract

The environmental crisis due to air pollution, high CO2 emissions, noise from traffic and soil ceiling requires profound changes to the car-dependent transport system. This article examines the political dynamics of German transport politics, focusing on the National Platform for Electric Mobility (NPE), a high-level political forum that aimed to accelerate the run-up of the electric mobility market in Germany. The NPE provides an interesting case to study the strategies of stakeholders in influencing policy-making and shaping alternative pathways to the car-centered transport system. The paper focusses on actor constellations and the conflicts that arise within the NPE, as well as the temporal dynamics within the electric mobility debate. The findings suggest that the NPE contributed to a narrow understanding of mobility transformation based on road transport and electric cars, but that it is better described as ecological modernization. Within this narrow framework, a fundamental conflict unfolds between strong advocates versus those slowing down the ecological modernization of the car. A third group demands at least a partial departure from the automobile-centered model but remains marginalized within the NPE. Aside from this core conflict, members of the NPE struggled over the location for battery cell production, the introduction of a purchase grant known as the environmental bonus, and the expansion of battery recharging infrastructure. These issues illustrate that discussions within the NPE relate to the political debates about the future of mobility, which have intensified in Germany in recent years. However, the case of the NPE shows that high-level stakeholder platforms are not an adequate forum to legitimately deliberate and to practically contribute to a wider and more fundamental rethink of future mobility concepts.

The Ambiguities of “Sustainable” Berlin

“…Here tourism management seems to follow the needs of the electromobility industry rather than those of sustainable urban development. Indeed, despite its many advantages, electromobility has been criticized for several things, both on technical grounds, e.g., for the production of environmentally detrimental batteries and more social aspects, e.g., for not moving away from the automobile-centered model [52]. Tourism marketing by nature cannot enter the nuanced discussion around the advantages and disadvantages of electrical mobility but needs to present an enthusiastic, one-sided account of its many virtues.…”

The Ambiguities of ‘Sustainable’ Berlin

“…for the production of environmentally detrimental batteries and more social aspects, e.g. for not moving away from the automobile-centred model [53]. Tourism marketing by nature cannot enter the nuanced discussion around the advantages and disadvantages of electrical mobility, but needs to present an enthusiastic, one-sided account of its many virtues.…”

Will Rota 2030 deliver sustainable innovation? Comparing the ends and means of Brazilian and German auto industry innovation policies

“…Its objective is "to support the technological development, competitiveness, innovation, vehicular safety, environmental protection, energy efficiency and quality of automobiles, trucks, buses, engine-equipped chassis and auto parts" (Brazilian Federal Congress, 2018). Its main goals are to "(i) increase the energy efficiency, structural development and availability of driving assistance technologies in the vehicles traded inside the country (ii) increase investment in research, development and innovation in the country (iii) stimulate the production of new technologies and innovation, in line with global technological trends (iv) increase the productivity of mobility and logistics industries (v) promote the use of biofuel and other alternative propulsion and add value to the Brazilian energy matrix (vi) ensure technical capacity and professional qualification in the mobility and logistics sector (vii) ensure the expansion or maintenance of employment levels in the mobility and logistics sector (Brazilian Federal Congress, 2018)" Source(s): Elaborated by the authors (Richter & Haas, 2020). But "the three major German automotive manufacturers (BMW, Daimler, VW, Stuttgart, Germany) have pursued different goals with regard to propulsion technology" (Richter & Haas, 2020) "The original Rota 2030 legislation was approved almost without changes in relation to the provisional measure, but some congressmen got the inclusion and approval (with no presidential veto) of two important regulatory amendments which increased program's tax waiver" (Kutney, 2019) No one has found proof of capture by any specific group for the formulation of NPE.…”

“…Its main goals are to "(i) increase the energy efficiency, structural development and availability of driving assistance technologies in the vehicles traded inside the country (ii) increase investment in research, development and innovation in the country (iii) stimulate the production of new technologies and innovation, in line with global technological trends (iv) increase the productivity of mobility and logistics industries (v) promote the use of biofuel and other alternative propulsion and add value to the Brazilian energy matrix (vi) ensure technical capacity and professional qualification in the mobility and logistics sector (vii) ensure the expansion or maintenance of employment levels in the mobility and logistics sector (Brazilian Federal Congress, 2018)" Source(s): Elaborated by the authors (Richter & Haas, 2020). But "the three major German automotive manufacturers (BMW, Daimler, VW, Stuttgart, Germany) have pursued different goals with regard to propulsion technology" (Richter & Haas, 2020) "The original Rota 2030 legislation was approved almost without changes in relation to the provisional measure, but some congressmen got the inclusion and approval (with no presidential veto) of two important regulatory amendments which increased program's tax waiver" (Kutney, 2019) No one has found proof of capture by any specific group for the formulation of NPE. In the case of Rota, the government established a reduction of three points on a tax applied for multi-fuel hybrid vehicles (amendment imposed by the sugar cane bench) as well the extension of tax benefits (up to 2025) to auto companies operating in the Northeast region (Kutney, 2019) Understanding of the innovation process by policymakers "Germany's economic strength is largely based on the efficiency of German industry, and particularly on its innovative strength [.…”