The writing is on the walls and in the streets. The internal combustion engine is on its way out, and electric vehicles are our future. Countries that lag behind this emerging trend are doomed to fall behind. That’s the thesis of the new documentary, Running on Empty. The film compares Norway’s unreserved embrace of EV innovation with China’s and contrasts it with the mediocre interest it has generated in Germany.
No country has more EV ownership per capita than Norway. Areas that were once heavily polluted are now dotted with charging stations. The country is meeting its emissions targets and setting the standard for a green future that other countries will emulate. This approach is so widespread that 65% of drivers in Norway own an electric car.
This figure is only 7% in Germany. The film examines why the country is lagging behind its competitors in this regard, and what this means for its global economic prospects.
Germany, once a world leader in car manufacturing, is nervous about jumping on the electric car bandwagon. As explained in the film, this is largely a matter of political will. Conventional cars continue to make up a sizeable portion of its economy, and any drastic change could temporarily jeopardize countless jobs. While these challenges are understandably stoking fear, the country’s snail’s pace on this issue favors short-term success rather than trends that will increasingly determine our future. At some point, the great driving innovators will take a backseat.
The film features a series of panelists – including transport researchers, economists and representatives of the German Ministry of Transport – who diagnose the problems currently facing German automakers and offer some potential solutions. Most panelists agreed that Germany needs to reframe the dialogue and take bold new steps to regain its leadership in the auto industry.
Produced by the consistently engrossing Deutsche Welle documentary series, Emptiness offers a startling overview of what it sees as Germany’s existential crisis.
Directed by: Torben Schmidt
