Volkswagen compares transition to electric cars to switching from horses to cars

For one of Volkswagen’s top executives, electrification should not be imposed by bans on combustion engines, but conquered by the advantages of the technology itself. The defense is by Martin Sander, responsible for the Sales, Marketing and After-Sales areas of the German brand, who compared the ongoing transition to the replacement of horses by cars at the beginning of the 20th century.

In an interview with the British magazine Auto Express, Sander countered the debate about the end of gasoline and diesel cars with a provocation: he questioned when, after all, horses would have been banned. The answer, he noted, is that this never happened — “it is still possible to buy a horse today,” he said. Even without any veto, the animals lost space when the public realized that the motor vehicle was a better solution to get around.

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For the executive, the same path should be repeated with electric vehicles. Instead of focusing the discussion on the deadline for combustion engines, Volkswagen argues that the industry better explains why an electric car can be superior in everyday use, with arguments such as lower operating costs, greater energy efficiency and practicality.

Sander acknowledged, however, that the adoption of electric vehicles does not depend only on the models offered by manufacturers. The charging infrastructure, the ease of use and the price of energy continue to be decisive factors to expand the acceptance of the technology. In Brazil, where the charging network is still incipient and flex hybrids are gaining space, these obstacles weigh even more heavily on battery models.

The speech comes at a strategic moment for the automaker. In Europe, Volkswagen is preparing a new phase of its electric offensive, betting on cheaper models aimed at higher volume segments – a field in which the brand has historically had commercial strength. Among them is the future ID. Polo, whose entry-level version was announced in Portugal for around R$ 146 thousand (24,700 euros).