A Car/Not Car Show in Munich
Part of why I visited Bavaria recently was to cover IAA, one of the world’s oldest car shows. It’s the German auto industry’s preeminent showcase, which normally features the latest, fastest luxury cars…burning gas.
But this year the conference rebranded as “IAA Mobility,” and invited the cycling industry to come along. There was hardly a gasoline car to be found.
Porshe was one of the car companies showing off its…e-bikes! At the car show!
I broke down this slightly awkward scene and what it says about where both the car and the e-bike industries are right now in an episode of the Indicator from Planet Money. (Hint: one has a branding problem and the other does not.)
As a longtime admirer of Planet Money it was an honor to get to work with the very talented team.
Find the episode here: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/16/1038008948/gas-power-to-electric-power-to-foot-power
Oh and who else was at the conference? Chancellor Angela Merkel, making one of her last public appearances before the parliamentary elections that will determine her replacement. She came to formally open the car show and tour the booths.
(Because yes! Germany’s national elections are on September 26th! Who will succeed Merkel after 16 years in office? More on that to come.)