According to the president of the House of Automobile, Ernest Pirsch, the entire automotive industry was taken aback by Minister of Energy Claude Turmes' comments that the car fleets of companies in Luxembourg should become 100% electrical.
Pirsch described the announcement as a "bombshell", stating that companies were already busy dealing with coronavirus, and that this was not the first time Claude Turmes had shocked the industry with his comments.
The Minister for Mobility, François Bausch, stated on his part that Turmes' comments had been misunderstood. Even if the government programme does mention a leasing reform, a complete overhaul was never the intention. Bausch pointed out that there was no mention of 100% electrical car fleets or a specific date.
The minister went on to explain that the focus should instead be on the new European regulations which require car manufacturing companies to substantially reduce the emissions of their fleets by 2025. The government plans to support the industry over the next two to three years in accordance with potential market changes. However, the clear objective was to move past the combustion engine.
Initially, Claude Turmes was asked to participate in the "Background" segment on RTL Radio. However, Bausch stated that after discussing it, both ministers agreed that the Minister for Mobility was the one responsible for this particular area of interest.
