EISENACH (dpa-AFX) - The uncertainty in the market for electric cars will not slow down the technology in the long term, according to Opel CEO Florian Huettl. The fact that the German government let the requirement for electric cars expire at the end of December and there is still no follow-up regulation "may prolong the path to electric mobility," Huettl told the German Press Agency in Eisenach on Tuesday. "But it won't stop it." Opel is also currently noticing a reluctance to buy, he continued.

Opel wants to offer only electric cars in Europe from 2028. Huettl said on Tuesday: "We are clearly sticking to our plan, also in terms of speed. We can only make this dependent on politics to a certain extent." However, it makes sense for governments to stimulate a ramp-up phase for a limited period of time. In France, for example, an incentive program for e-car leasing has been well used.

Huettl confirmed Opel's goal of offering an electric car for 25,000 euros in the coming years. Referring to the price difference between combustion engines and electric cars, he said: "The next generation of battery electric platforms will allow us to achieve this price parity."

Opel presented an all-electric version of the Grandland SUV at its plant in Eisenach on Tuesday. Manufacturing a car in Germany comes with cost challenges, Huettl continued. "It is of course easier to absorb the costs in a highly segmented car like the Grandland. In the small car segment, it is much more difficult due to the competitive situation." The production of a small car like the Corsa in Germany is "unthinkable today"./dhu/DP/ngu