Automotive opinion

"Instead of practicing gender-speaking, we should better concentrate on the further development of our vehicles, the lead through technology," complains a not insignificant Audi man from the development department. He is not the only one who thinks the Audiian spelling is "the greatest nonsense since the introduction of the defeat device in group engines". A VW employee even feels discriminated against and has filed a lawsuit against the gender language prescribed by HR director Sabine Maaßen at the regional court in Ingolstadt.  Read full article ... (432 words)

The best thing about electromobility is (still) the compromise. And I am convinced that it is called a plug-in hybrid. No range worries, driving without necessarily having to charge electrical energy beforehand, still being able to drive emission-free in the city and driving economically even with the combustion engine. This point of view was confirmed by the BMW 330e Touring Plug-in Hybrid, which not only impressed me as an automobile, but also with a few interesting technological features.

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Since the ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court on stricter and more specific rules on "climate protection" after 2030, the parties have been overturning proposals that are even more stringent than the Paris Agreement in advance obedience. Above all, the federal government itself exceeds some of the demands of the Greens. Not for the sake of so-called “climate protection”, but to take all arrows out of the quiver of anti-car arguments for the Greens in the federal election campaign.  Read full article ... (912 words)

Audi boss Markus Duesmann sums up the dilemma or the balancing act of the automaker aptly, but in a somewhat ambivalent way: “We give full power to the electric cars and at the same time full throttle to the combustion engines, and there too with the corresponding electrification, but of course with a strong one Focus on fully electric vehicles. ”Indians would say: The Audi chief speaks with a forked tongue.

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The seventh generation of the VW Polo has to do without economical diesels. It had been foreseeable for a long time that expensive exhaust gas cleaning could no longer be economically integrated into the small car segment. This is no reason to be sad, because the gasoline engines, all of which are offered as three-cylinder engines, should be (almost) just as economical. And for those who really want an alternative drive, there is a natural gas engine that automatically switches to petrol when the gas tank is empty.

Photos show the R version  Read full article ... (655 words, 3 images)

What BMW had developed close to series production in the seven-cylinder 12-cylinder and presented it in large format at the world exhibition in Hanover in 2000, but then discontinued it rather silently and without a sound, Toyota is now presenting in racing: the hydrogen combustion engine! Toyota is actually serious about the technology openness that is demanded from all sides.

Toyota only recently surprised them by further developing e-mobility with batteries. The company now has several arrows in its quiver: battery cars, fuel cell cars and now also the combustion engine with hydrogen. Initially only in racing, however, Toyota is known for its lengthy strategy. What did the German car managers smile more contemptuously than admiringly when Toyota launched the first hybrid model, the Prius. The current chairman of the supervisory board of Daimler AG Bernd Pischetsrieder, as BMW boss, called it the wrong way to pack two drives in a car. Today almost every manufacturer, including Mercedes-Benz of course, offers hybrid drives, mostly as plug-ins.  Read full article ... (304 words)

All German car manufacturers are getting faster and faster on the e-highway and consistently take the unjust accusation that they have missed e-mobility ad absurdum. In fact, given the speed at which new electric vehicles are presented, one could get the impression that e-mobility is about to make a breakthrough. That is certainly not the case for a long time, but even skeptical minds like me become thoughtful.

Audi has just presented two more attractive Stromers that not only look good, but also put innovative features on the road, or better: bring them into the cockpit. In Shanghai there is another e-bang from Audi to marvel at, which, as usual, is initially intended to promote the “E-Volution” (Audi formulation) as a study. As a counterpoint to the EQS from Mercedes-Benz, the A6 e-tron concept also shines with a range of 700 kilometers and thus takes a lot of the air out of the sails of a range pioneer of the electric S-Class.  Read full article ... (412 words, 2 images)

The federal government pretends to promote electromobility. With high purchase premiums, it only gives the impression that it is actually massively promoting e-mobility. However, the government only promotes the dearly subsidized motivation to buy an e-car. When it comes to supporting the range problems of buyers with electric charging stations: Nothing. As the owner of almost all motorway rest areas, the federal government would have the option of installing thousands of charging stations.

But she does so very hesitantly. Just one example: On the A8 in Jettingen-Scheppach between Munich and Stuttgart there is only one fast charging station and two normal chargers, hidden behind the Shell petrol station. Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer could promote what the Transport Minister himself propagated: People buy e-cars. And as long as the government suspends market developments via e-premium, the sales figures of e-mobiles hide the fact that e-skepticism is still high. "Without subsidies, we would only sell a tenth of our e-cars - if at all," admits the head of a large Audi dealership.  Read full article ... (321 words)

If the VDA is now selling the partial easing of the planned Euro 7 limit values ​​as a success of its criticism of the EU Commission's deliberations, it is a different kind of appeasement attempt by the burners critics. Because the higher limit values ​​that are now in the room, but not yet resolved, mean the end of the combustion in the long term - and not only with fossil fuel. Then the Green Deal will become the green crash of the auto industry.

VDA President Hildegard Müller has argued vehemently against the plans of the EU Commission. The possible “concession” of the EU is at best a sanctimonious act of mercy on unsuspecting bureaucrats who - supported by Ursula von der Leyen - would like to bring about the green crash of the German automotive industry from the Green Deal. If the VDA now believes that it has prevented the end of the combustion engine, that is very naive. The car opponents in the EU are not really interested in abolishing the combustion engine, but want to massively restrict individual mobility. Even if all cars were powered electrically, the resistance and criticism of individual mobility would persist.  Read full article ... (426 words)

It is amazing how openly managers (can) make their convictions public when they are no longer dependent on a good relationship with the Chancellor.

The most recent example is ex-BMW board member Wolfgang Reitzle, who, after a stint at the Ford Premium Automotive Group, turned Linde into the world's largest and most successful gases company. His most recent criticism in “Welt am Sonntag” of the federal government's failure in the economic and corona crisis cannot be surpassed in clarity.  Read full article ... (287 words)

It is a nice custom around the world for the press departments of automakers to come up with April fools. Sometimes they cause laughter, sometimes they go wrong. With the supposed renaming to “Voltwagen”, VW has hit the jackpot in North America: Almost the entire media landscape fell for the gag, which, however - and that made it difficult to classify - had leaked two days earlier.  Read full article ... (385 words)

Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess underlined again at the virtual balance sheet press conference of the group that within two generations the industry will change radically: first in the direction of e-mobility and then with a focus on software. But that needs to be financed. “The combustion engine business will allow us to finance the change,” explains Diess.

Last year, the group took a step forward with operating earnings before taxes of EUR 8,5 billion that was not to be expected in the first Corona year. The good performance in the crisis year 2020 gives VW additional tailwind, said Diess.  Read full article ... (705 words)

Four doors, a very economical drive, a large tailgate, space for five people in a compact body: these are the ideal prerequisites for a friendly city car that can comfortably cover long distances. This actually describes the 4th generation of the Toyota Yaris. The successful Toyota model has grown up and has been named "Car of the Year" for the second time.

The Yaris, which has been produced in France since 2001, has been sold more than four million times in Europe; undoubtedly proof of its popularity. Right from the start, the small car was trimmed to its proportions high and short. The Yaris has been available as a hybrid model since 2012. At that time a novelty in the small car segment.  Read full article ... (708 words, 2 images)

Guest contribution by Harald Kaiser: What is and what is not in the rumors of a possible electric car from the cult company Apple.

They seem to be on drugs, the speculators. It's about the car that Apple is supposed to be developing. The fantasies about the electrically powered “iCar”, so far only an unconfirmed paper tiger in all sorts of printed and electronic gazettes, have lately no longer only dealt with the question of whether Apple will build this car. In the meantime, the date of introduction has long been speculated (allegedly 2024/25).  Read full article ... (1076 words)

The linguistic nonsense of gendering apparently does not stop at those who have to deal with language professionally. The fact that the Audi communications department is now introducing the bulky underscore to promote equality is only due to the supposed zeitgeist, not the proper use of language or genuine equality. And certainly not the image of the lead.

Does the genderization of language really promote the integration of women as equal parts of society? Linguists are divided, depending on which political camp they belong to. Like many of my colleagues, I consider it utter nonsense. Just like the reason communicated by Audi:  Read full article ... (481 words)