Frankfurt, September 14 (RHC)-- Several thousand climate activists protest in Frankfurt against climate-damaging cars as the city hosts the Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA).

Despite car manufacturers showcasing their climate credentials with new electric cars, the climate protesters are criticizing their lack of real climate protection and demanding a proper change in transportation habits.

The leader of the Green Party parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Anton Hofreiter, who was also taking part in the protest, criticized electric cars in particular for not being powered by a sustainable power source.

"Electric cars only makes sense if the power come from renewable energy sources.  They do not make sense if it come from lignite," Hofreiter told Reuters TV and called again for a fast coal phase-out and use of renewable energy.

When the IAA opened to the media on Tuesday, Greenpeace activists inflated a giant black balloon outside, bearing the inscription CO2.  During the official opening and walk-about of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, protesters climbed on SUVs at the Volkswagen and BMW stands with signs bearing the slogan "Climate Killers."

The number of exhibitors has shrunk to around 800 this year, from 994 in 2017.  Fiat, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Aston Martin will skip the show and only five exhibition halls will have new cars, instead of eight.

The Frankfurt show will, however, remain a key venue for German manufacturers to show off their automobiles.