Daimler’s management “sees no reason” to give in to the demands of two environmental organizations. On Friday, Greenpeace and Deutsche Umwelthilfe called on the Stuttgart-based multinational company to “stop” selling cars with internal combustion engines by 2030.
In addition to Daimler, lawyers for the environmental organizations threatened to sue BMW and Volkswagen.
“Among other things, we demand that automobile companies abandon internal combustion engines by 2030 and that Germany’s largest company, Wintershall, stop developing new oil and gas fields no later than 2026,” said Matthias Walther, a spokesman for Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Action).
“We give companies plenty of time in our appeal: for example, VW has until the end of October to answer whether they are ready to go down this path. We believe that a serious discussion can and should take place. If a satisfactory application is not accepted, we will file a lawsuit,” adds Rhoda Verheyen, attorney for the Greenpeace plaintiffs.
Lawyers for Greenpeace and Deutsche Umwelthilfe are seeking legal obligations from automakers not to market models using conventional fuels. Earlier this year, the same lawyers filed a successful lawsuit against the German government, forcing it to adjust its plans to cut CO2 emissions.
