Ten years after the start of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, German carmakers still lack a full commitment to electric mobility because they are torn between short-term profits and long-term strategy, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which was instrumental in triggering the “Dieselgate” scandal. New battery models by VW, BMW and Mercedes show promise, but the companies undermine EV sales by continuing to lobby against the EU’s 2035 combustion engine phaseout, the organisation’s Europe managing director, Peter Mock, tells Clean Energy Wire in this interview. Both the auto industry and Germany’s government must recognise that the global switch to electric mobility is progressing rapidly, and that efforts to delay it are futile, Mock argues.
Clean Energy Wire: Looking back, how do you assess the Dieselgate scandal? To what extent has it changed the German automotive industry?
Peter Mock: At the time, it seemed like a huge turning point for both politics and the industry. Politicians in Germany suddenly behaved very differently and no longer trusted car manufacturers – there was a great deal of disappointment and scepticism. It also appeared to be a major turning point for the automotive industry, because it became very clear at the time that diesel was not the future, and combustion engines in general probably weren't either. This triggered many commitments to electric mobility.
But from today's perspective, I would say that it...
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen got sued by an MEP. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET 17 September 2025 Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea filed an action against European Commission President Urs...
