Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) today, together with VDA President Hildegard Müller, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder, and Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, officially opened the third edition of IAA Mobility in Munich. 748 exhibitors from 37 countries, a record share of international companies of 57 percent, more than 500 speakers, and over 350 world premieres and novelties underline the global relevance and appeal of IAA Mobility. On the occasion of the opening it was also announced that the fair will remain three more editions on the Isar, with the contracts to be signed promptly.
„In times of dynamic, economic and political challenges, our industry on IAA Mobility demonstrates impressively what it is capable of: With world premieres, innovative power and determination, the companies demonstrate their performance and their willingness to actively shape the future of climate-neutral and digital mobility. IAA Mobility is the showcase of this strength – a signal of courage, solidarity and the power to master change successfully. We do not talk, we shape. We show that the German automotive industry tackles the challenges and exports mobility solutions worldwide,“ advocates Hildegard Müller, President of the Association of the Automotive Industry.
There she reaffirmed the VDA's commitment to the Paris climate targets. The industry has taken up the challenge, the companies of the German automotive industry have done their tasks, invested, delivered innovations. Müller sees domestic manufacturers worldwide in a leading position in future technologies and even says: "We are innovation masters, we are European champions of e-mobility, we are engines of prosperity and growth."
Yet she discreetly admitted that the world is in a race with regard to location and competitiveness, while Europe and Germany too little work on future-proof framework conditions.
"If the automotive industry here in Germany is to continue to be a success story for prosperity, growth, employment – for people and for the climate – in the future, then politics in Berlin and Brussels must now finally deliver," she handed the responsibility to politics.
Konkret forderte Müller den Standort in den zahlreichen Rankings zur Wettbewerbsfähigkeit wieder an die Spitze zurückzubringen. Das Prinzip der überbordenden Regulierung müsse endlich überwunden werden, ebenso der Ansatz auf Verbote und einseitige Festlegungen auf technologische Optionen zu setzen:
„Flexibilisierung und technologische Handlungsoptionen sind zwingend notwendig. Wer die Realitäten nicht analysiert und entsprechend flexibel agiert, wird mit seinen Zielen scheitern“, findet Müller.
Mit Blick auf die notwendigen Reformen in Berlin und Brüssel erklärte sie weiter, dass "günstige Energiepreise, ein wettbewerbsfähiges Steuer- und Abgabensystem, ein massiver Abbau von Bürokratie sowie eine maximale Forcierung beim Abschluss von Handelsabkommen, sowie Rohstoff- und Energiepartnerschaft jetzt politische Priorität" sein müssten.
Politische Eröffnung der IAA Mobility durch Merz, Söder und Reiter
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) made clear in his speech that the world should no longer look at Germany with disdain but with admiration, and that the IAA also provides a stage for this, because it "offers an impressive overview of the innovative strength of the automotive and supplier industry in Germany and worldwide." With his dense network of major manufacturers and countless suppliers, Germany has the best conditions
to remain the number one auto country in the future, Merz believes. He also announced another Auto Summit at the Chancellery, which is to take place in the coming weeks.
We want to shape the transformation, not chase it, and to seize the opportunities of the transformation. The goal remains that battery cell production in Germany should occur industrially and on a large scale as well. We will of course stick to the switch to e-mobility, but we need more flexibility in Europe. We want to achieve climate protection through technology-open solutions, Merz explained, without proposing concrete solutions. The goal is also that Germany becomes a leading market for automated driving; we are technologically leading here, Merz said. He also noted concerns that the restriction of key elements such as rare earths and critical raw materials for e-mobility by China is of "considerable concern," Merz said. We must develop greater self-sufficiency here.
Ambivalent: Promote e-mobility, postpone the phase-out of the combustion engine
Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) declared: „Auto is coming home!" He described IAA Mobility and Bavaria as a perfect match. In his view Germany overall needs again a clear commitment to the car. It is the central lifeline of the economy. "This includes stopping the EU ban on combustion engines, a technology push for electromobility and autonomous driving, as well as lower industrial electricity prices and the expansion of charging infrastructure," Söder once again demanded. The IAA is the showcase of the German automotive industry to the world and must send a signal: "Germany
is hungry for the car and Germany is a car market of the future."
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe München, Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) added that Munich connects tradition and innovation – and exactly this is what IAA Mobility shows. Mobility is one of the central challenges of our time. With this fair, one sends a strong signal for sustainable, intelligent and accessible mobility of the future, Reiter says.
Messe mit hohem China-Anteil
The IAA Mobility 2025 is, with a record share of 57 percent foreign exhibitors, more international than ever, and the fact that over 40 percent of all exhibitors are participating for the first time, underline its global appeal and future viability, says organizer VDA. Exhibitors from 37 nations present their mobility products in Munich. Especially strongly represented are companies from China (116 exhibitors), South Korea (58), Austria (24), Italy (24) and the USA (24). Nearly 3,500 accredited journalists from 37 countries underline the IAA's global relevance.
Exhibitors were taking to the concept with increasing enthusiasm. The Open Space is growing in popularity and has grown as a central crowd-puller by more than a quarter. Also on the exhibition grounds more halls were used for exhibitors than in 2023. Likewise, the Experience concept – to try and experience as much mobility of the future as possible – is seen as a success. The interactive experience for visitors will be strengthened by a greatly expanded program of test drives, which, with a 27 percent increase, makes the vehicles of the future directly
