4:09 pm, November 18, 2008
MERCEDES-BENZ is to lobby politicians, Government officials and opinion formers about the car industry and the environment.
The company is holding an event at Mercedes-Benz World in Brooklands this week, to showcase its future environmental strategy.
It has invited those shaping future legislation and tax rules to the event, to put the car makers’ case.
The motor industry wants the UK Government to adopt incentives, such as tax breaks, to encourage greener vehicles. This will encourage car buyers to choose more sustainable new cars, without being financially penalised for doing so.
The present tax structure is confusing, and does not offer incentives for greener vehicles. These often cost the manufacturer more to develop, so list prices have to be higher, which keeps sales down.
Tax breaks would help encourage sales.
Mercedes will be showcasing technology that is available to order now at the event, including more efficient versions of its best-selling cars.
These models offer economy gains to customers, without increasing list prices. The company knows that large numbers will only buy them if it doesn’t cost them anything.
Official incentives would help encourage the further development and sale of the next step in fuel savings, which will include hybrids, fuel cell models and electric vehicles. These are currently too expensive to bring to market. Such models are key to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
‘This task cannot be accomplished… alone… by one branch of industry,’ said a Mercedes official.
‘The global challenge can only be mastered if each and every country, every branch of industry, every household and every human being on the planet makes a contribution.’
