New concept, new venue and terrific success. That’s the unanimous opinion of participants and show organisers of the IAA Mobility in Munich, Germany.

The first IAA Mobility in Munich held from September 7 to 12 exceeded all expectations and set important signals for a climate-neutral future of mobility. Around 400,000 participants from 88 countries experienced and discussed innovative solutions at the largest event in Germany since the Covid-19 pandemic began a year and a half ago.

The event brought together 744 exhibitors and 828 speakers from a wide range of mobility sectors: from cars and bicycles to urban air mobility, the digital industry and the financial sector.  It was visitable either in person on 250,000 sq m of exhibition space at the Munich exhibition centre and in the Open Space of downtown Munich or online.

“When I look around, I am quite convinced that the transformation to climate neutrality will be a success for our country and for our automotive industry,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the opening of the event. “The IAA Mobility is a signal of hope,” she said.

The major trade show witnessed 100 premieres including the presentation of the first robot cab service in Germany and underscored the innovative power of the mobility industry. The broad mix of exhibitors – 98 areas of auto manufacturers, 75 bicycle brands, 152 supplier companies, numerous tech companies and 78 startups – inspired the trade visitors just as much as the panels and debates about the design of a climate-neutral future of mobility.

“We took a bold step and were rewarded by the visitors, 400,000 participants are a clear vote with the feet. The IAA Mobility is now the largest mobility event in the world,” said Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), summing up the event, which was jointly organised with Messe München for the first time. The interest was so great that access to certain areas had to be restricted at times.

According to Müller, the new concept hits the nerve of the times: “New electric cars, bicycles, e-scooters, energy policy and urban planning, digitalisation and more – here in Munich we have presented together what must be thought together in the future. The transformation of mobility towards climate neutrality is moving forward with commitment.

A visible sign of this was also the German premiere of the Blue Lane designated exclusively for climate-friendly vehicles. Visitors completed a total of 7,000 test drives with 255 e-vehicles on the route between Munich’s inner city and the trade fair grounds.

The enthusiasm for the first major in-person trade show in Germany since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic was high among exhibitors and visitors alike. “This new IAA Mobility is a strong signal to the world that international trade show events are possible again in Germany,” said Klaus Dittrich, CEO of Messe München.