Autobahns will remain without speed limits thanks to electric cars

“Pace is the personal responsibility of citizens, as long as others are not put at risk. The state should show restraint here. High energy prices are already causing many people to drive more slowly. And with electric cars, people won’t drive as fast because they want to save energy.”

A few months ago, the idea of introducing speed limits as a potential means of reducing the energy consumption of the German country was raised. Because of the war in Ukraine, the supply of oil and gas to European countries has been threatened, so politicians are debating possible solutions to the crisis.

Autobahns will keep their stretches without speed limits

This is not the first time that speed limits have been suggested for the famous German motorways. In fact, the option has been raised numerous times in recent years, often with counterarguments similar to those mentioned by Wissing. In 2021, debate arose about imposing limits on the motorway, and it was rejected by people such as Prof. Dr. Stefan Bratzel, founder of the Center of Automotive Management, which studies mobility trends. “Electric car drivers generally travel at around 120-130 km/h, not faster, because otherwise the battery range decreases considerably.”

Before that, other figures had claimed that German motorways “are a symbol of freedom,” and added that “there are already enough speed limits” on the road network. Another controversial topic for members of the German government is widening many of these important motorways. “If we don’t want to experience conditions on the road similar to those on the rails, we need to take urgent action here.” “In Germany, not only the number of cars but also freight traffic has steadily increased over the years. However, this has been matched by neither rail nor road capacity.”

Wissing is fully in favour of electric vehicles or the use of carbon-neutral fuels, but says that the speed at which freight volumes are growing, in particular, is taking its toll on the roads. He has also wanted to point out that “in 2023, there will be another 50 million tonnes more. Even if not everyone likes it, there will be more traffic on German motorways.” “Otherwise, the economy will soon grind to a halt and we will lose jobs.”

From the opposite angle, the Ministry of the Environment considers that new roads run counter to the country’s climate targets. But Wissing also has an answer to that. “Driving a car means freedom, flexibility and privacy; in rural areas and in old age, also participation and self-determination,” and he added that citizens expect roads to be in good condition.