IAA 2021: Munich goes mobile

The much announced mobility turnaround remained an empty promise for a long time. From September 7th to 12th in Munich taking place IAA 2021 should now fill the topic with real content.

For decades, the IAA, a major meeting of the automotive industry, attracted manufacturers and fans from all over the world to Frankfurt. Classic themes were luxury, performance and plenty of new cars. In the meantime, however, mobility and the automotive industry are changing, which is now clearly reflected in the IAA format. The move to Munich is more of a secondary aspect. Thanks to the many presentation stages in the beautiful squares in the city center, the event should also become a family-friendly street festival. But more decisive for the content reorientation is the composition of the exhibitors and their exhibits, which are likely to knock only a few classic car fans off their feet. But this year the IAA wants to show that mobility can be done differently and will be different in the future.

Slimmed down variant

The change at the IAA, organized by the Association of German Automobile Manufacturers (VDA), is clear just a look at the preliminary reports in the classic car media. As early as spring, they would have promoted the many world premieres and stars of the fair with large IAA previews. But there are no stories about the “premiere fireworks” bursting with horsepower superlatives, because the simple fact of the IAA is that there are only a few automakers and few new cars. And when it comes to superlatives, these are mostly about range rather than performance.

Just a few years ago, all well-known and many other car manufacturers were represented at the IAA, but now their list has been drastically reduced due to corona. The Japanese and the GM group stay away, Stellantis with its 14 brands also shines with its absence. This even applies to the Stellantis subsidiary Opel. The originally German brand was so far an elementary part of the IAA in the Frankfurt era. But despite an already announced change to a purely electric car manufacturer, the lightning brand has dispensed with a stand in Munich. 

As at the IAA 2019, which made headlines with large demos by car opponents, among other things, the new version in Munich will mainly focus on the electric car. And at least here the fair will actually be the stage for at least some, in some cases even groundbreaking, innovations. This will include Renault's Megane E-Tech Electric. The compact electricity, which will be based on a new electric platform of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, stands for the much more mature electric car of the second generation.

BMW will even present several electronic innovations and also present itself as the largest exhibitor in its hometown. In addition to the daring future vision Mini Vision Urbanaut and the new electric scooter CE 04, the two new electric cars iX and i4 have already been officially announced. The Daimler Group, which has meanwhile also defined a clear e-strategy, will be adorned with new electric cars. The electric E-Class EQE and an electrified variant of the G-Class are expected. A few popular e-innovations should also be presented at the IAA premiere. Smart will show a new e-SUV and VW will probably show an affordable electric compact.

Lots of electric scooters etc at the IAA 2021

Visitors to the IAA will even be able to experience e-mobility up close and personal on the so-called Blue Lane. Along the route that connects the stands in the old town center with those at the Riem exhibition center in the east of Munich, fuel cell vehicles such as the BMW X5 Hydrogen as well as hybrid vehicles and e-scooters will be on the road in addition to new battery-electric electric vehicles. 

Electrified single-track vehicles are likely to appear in particularly large numbers at the IAA. The exhibition stands of representatives of the bicycle industry are almost as numerous as those of the car industry. Around 50 bike brands are represented, which will primarily make the latest pedelecs palatable to the public. Perhaps these will only be decorative accessories, but at least in terms of number, they meet the car manufacturers on an equal footing. 

Involve the audience

But the IAA should no longer just be a stage for new products, but also sell visions for more environmentally friendly mobility. Instead of locking out the critics of the auto industry as in 2019, Munich wants to offer dialogue. A manufacturer like BMW will therefore not only present its agenda of climate protection, sustainability and the circular economy, but also invite the trade fair audience to actively participate in discussions. Sharp critics of the IAA, however, will hardly be deterred by the call for dialogue from demonstrating against the fair, which is essentially still declared as an auto show, as was the case in 2019.

Under the motto #ausstieg, a broad alliance of organizations such as Attac, BUND, Greenpeace or the ADFC called for a demonstration on Saturday, September 11th against what is known as the “green deception” IAA Mobility. The question of who will be represented in greater numbers on this day could be exciting: critics or fans of the car show?

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