VW boss Diess wants to concentrate state subsidies exclusively on e-cars, with the advance, however, BMW has grossed. Now the corporations have agreed to work together to prepare a strategy.
The VWDemand for a radical change to battery-powered electric mobility has the German auto industry split. Essentially, it is about whether state subsidies – as VW boss Herbert Diess envisioned – should focus exclusively on battery vehicles.
On Wednesday evening Diess agreed as well BMW-Chef Harald Krüger and Daimler -Boss Dieter Zetsche in conversation with the President of the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Bernhard Mattes, on the fact that battery electric cars and hybrids are the “order of the day”. The report both the news agency dpa and the “Handelsblatt”. In addition, the charging infrastructure for electric cars should be expanded, it said.
BMW CEO Harald Krüger had previously objected to the claim of Diess. At another point, the VW boss felt headwind: VW works council chief Bernd Osterloh demanded job security until the end of 2028 and made it clear that talks on “efficiency gains” will only be under conditions. Diess’ comments were for massive restlessness taken care of at VW.
BMW boss Krüger said with a view to the thrust of the VW top: “Where I clearly disagree, is technology openness.” Diess, on the other hand, wants to concentrate subsidies primarily on small all-electric cars and said: “Technology openness is now the wrong slogan.” What does that mean? In addition to battery electric cars, there are other conceivable drive variants – such as the hydrogen-powered fuel cell, hybrids or synthetic fuels. This, on the other hand, wants everything on one card, namely batteries forE-cars, put.
Krüger: “We stand by the VDA”
But: The development in different parts of the world is different, there are different views on how fast the infrastructure will be for pure all-electric vehicles. “I see it differently,” said Krüger. In some countries, hydrogen is an alternative to the battery car. This resulted in a need for discussion, he said.
Krüger did not rule out that politics in one important country could oblige manufacturers to offer fuel cell cars and otherwise they would not be allowed to sell cars there at all. That is why technology openness is important.
The agreement reached on Wednesday evening, the automakers now assume that hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars would not be ready for the market in the next ten years or so. A VDA spokesman said that there had been “a short, very constructive and good conversation”. According to the “Handelsblatt” the call took about 40 minutes.
Further details of the agreement have not yet been officially announced. The “Handelsblatt” reported, however, with reference to unspecified industry circles, BMW, VW and Daimler had initially agreed to send their respective concepts to the VDA. This should then work out a consensus paper – and represent this in relation to politics.
The dispute had also triggered speculation about a possible breakup of the powerful industry association VDA. This danger seems at first banished.
Scheuer: Germany needs up to ten million e-cars by 2030
This had triggered the conflict with a strategy paper that is hotly debated in the industry and also in politics. Critics complain that the proposals are too much aimed at Volkswagen. The paper states that the previous plans to promote sales and to expand the charging infrastructure for electric cars were not enough. The Federal Chancellery has reportedly promised to examine the proposals and wants to comment on a first round of the future of mobility with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) in April. Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) is already intensively examining the proposals for DPA information.
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) affirmed in the Bundestag that it would need “up to ten million electric cars” by 2030, 500,000 electric utility vehicles and 300,000 charging points. But he also called hydrogen and gas engines whose startup was necessary. On behalf of the government, experts are currently discussing the future of mobility, especially with regard to climate protection. An interim report is due on 29th March.
This warns: e-cars require less manpower
Diess also emphasized to around 20,000 employees at the company meeting in Wolfsburg: “Electromobility is the right path.” But: an e-car requires about 30 percent less work than a combustor. “It will be difficult to do that only with fluctuation and partial retirement,” he warned. Digitization would cost jobs, modern IT would allow to automate many routine tasks and processes such as in the administration. Previously, Ralf Brandstätter, head of the core brand VW Passenger Cars, had announced that an additional 5,000 to 7,000 jobs would be lost in the next five years.
This led to massive anger at the mighty VW Works Council boss Osterloh. The number lacks any foundation, he said at the rally. To be sure, the works council was prepared to negotiate ways of treating job security and profitability equally. But first the board must do its homework. “Before all these questions are not answered and clear agreements are made on how to fix these errors, there will be no discussions on further efficiency gains.”
lie / const / dpa