report

VW factory in Emden When 8,000 employees have to rethink

Status: 19.06.2021 10:18 a.m.

In the future, only electric cars will roll off the assembly line at the VW plant in Emden. This means billions in costs for the group – and many changes for the employees. And some jobs will probably disappear.

From Sebastian Duden, NDR

“What is that again?” Andreas Buse looks at his trainer questioningly and points to a magnetic picture that he should hang in the right place on a board. “This is the heater for the battery, which is also in the front of the vehicle.” It is about basic knowledge of the new electric cars that are to be built here at the Volkswagen plant in Emden from 2022. All 8,000 employees at the site go through the training.

It doesn’t work without a plug

It will be more special for the production staff at the next station. Buse has to be even more careful. This is about plugs. He’s trying to build a cable to an electric car charger. It doesn’t work, and he has to find the problem. “Ah, okay, a pin is bent, that’s why it doesn’t work.” His instructor nods. “So don’t just check the connector, but always look at the component to see if nothing is bent.” Plugs – they will be even more important in the future, so they have already been. Without a plug there is no flow of electricity, and then they cannot even drive the cars out of the hall. “To know that the vehicle cannot be delivered at all and that a fault then has to be laboriously searched for, that is something I have great respect for,” says Buse.

No oil, no engine compartment

One hall further is the ID.4 – the electric car that will roll off the assembly line here from 2022. It’s an SUV, weighing more than two tons. Much of the weight is caused by the large battery. Depending on the model, the ID.4 should travel up to 500 kilometers.

“The dipstick is no longer there, oily fingers, the time is over,” says project manager Hanno Greune. He opens the “bonnet” of the car, which actually doesn’t deserve the name anymore, because you won’t find an engine here. That is not much more than a “technical room”, he admits, there are now fans and heaters, for example. “In our vehicles, the engine is on the rear axle,” says Greune. He points to a plain black cover in the trunk. Underneath is a comparatively small unit – about the size of a sports bag.

So far mainly the location for the production of the VW Passat, in a few years pure electrical work: the factory in Emden. Image: picture alliance / Jochen Tack

The VW plant in Emden is already the size of an entire district. It is now being expanded again towards the Ems. For this purpose, foundation piles had to be driven 30 meters deep into the muddy subsoil. The largest hall has 45,000 square meters. A total of six new halls and logistics buildings will be added. The expansion will cost one billion euros. “The renovation is the most massive that the site has ever gone through,” says plant manager Uwe Schwartz. “We are massively involved in all structures. We are creating more than 100,000 square meters of new space.” Schwartz was brought in specially for the renovation. Before he headed the planning staff at the main plant in Wolfsburg, now he can implement the ideas developed there on site.

Simpler technology, fewer jobs

Volkswagen relies entirely on electric drives. The conversion should be a clear commitment to electric drive – even if experts can imagine other drive types in the future, for example in combination with synthetic fuels. For a transitional phase of three years, VW wants to build cars with internal combustion engines in Emden at the same time.

“Emden is the first location in Lower Saxony that will then be completely converted to vehicles with electric drives,” says Schwartz. Up to now, the “Passat” models in particular have rolled off the production line at the plant. Electric vehicles, however, have a much simpler drive than petrol and diesel. Most of them not only have more complex engines, but also finely graduated gears and gearshifts. All of that is missing in an electric car. As a result, manufacturers actually need fewer employees to build them.

Fewer employees needed to build e-cars

The works council in Emden sees the problem and expects the loss of some jobs. However, new employees are also needed elsewhere, says Works Council Chairman Manfred Wulff. For example in digitization. “We still need bodies that have to be pressed and painted, so we won’t lose a lot of work. The fact that we no longer have the classic engine will be eliminated.”

Experts predict that in the worst case scenario, it could hit a third of those employed in vehicle construction during the transformation phase. But they see it differently in the works council in Emden. There they even wished to switch over to electric car construction as quickly as possible. After all, the sales figures for the classic VW models have not developed positively. The alternative would have been to build more models with internal combustion engines at the Emden location in order to utilize the capacities. Then it would be better to have a clear future perspective, according to the works council. This is how Andreas Buse sees it, who is now back on the production line and wiring the engine compartment of the Passat and Arteon models. “Sure, there will be restructuring, but I’m not afraid of it.” Many of his colleagues will probably go into partial retirement in the course of the restructuring. However, he is only 32 years old. And he is also looking forward to the changes. Even if he will miss the Passat, as he admits when asked

More and more electric cars Boom for Battery manufacturer

Status: 06/17/2021 10:13 a.m.

The growing number of e-cars on the streets is causing the battery market to grow strongly. One EU country in particular can catch up significantly with its Asian competition.

From Oliver Feldforth, MR

For years it was talked about, now the boom in electric mobility really seems to be there. Electric cars are very popular at a leading Frankfurt dealership. One seller says that what is delivered to him can also be easily sold.

The electric cars have contributed to the fact that the corona pandemic could not harm the battery market in Germany. Last year there was an increase of 35 percent. “Above all, the volume of the market for lithium-ion batteries has increased enormously,” says Christian Eckert from the Central Association of Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry ZVEI. Overall, this segment grew by 63 percent. And that is mainly due to electromobility.

The recycling rate should increase

A battery is only as green as the material and the electricity used to make it. Even the electric car is only as green as the electricity with which it is charged. When it comes to battery recycling, German industry is on the right track, said Christian Rosenkranz, Chairman of the ZVEI Batteries Association. The recycling rate for classic batteries is 80 to 90 percent, while it looks worse for lithium-ion batteries, which are in increasing demand. The industry wants to achieve a rate of 65 percent in four years.

Environmentalists see a need for action. “It is not only in Germany that we have to set high social and ecological standards for the production of batteries,” says Benjamin Stephan from Greenpeace. “The car manufacturers are responsible for this, but politics must set clear rules for all companies.”

Poland leads the way in Europe

Germany imports batteries. The manufacturers from Europe overtook the Asian competition for the first time last year. In Europe, Poland is the leading producer, in Asia it is China, according to Christian Eckert from the ZVEI.

And electromobility will continue to grow. Volkswagen sees it that way too. The car manufacturer plans to set up six battery cell plants of its own in the next few years. According to Ralf Brandstätter, head of the Volkswagen brand, by 2030 at least 70 percent of all new Volkswagens in Europe should be electric vehicles, in North America and China more than half.

Solid-state batteries as the technology of the future

The decision as to which drive for cars comes after the classic combustion engine seems to have been decided for the time being. “The battery-electric drive is the most efficient and significantly more economical than fuel cells and combustion engines,” said Benjamin Stephan from Greenpeace. “With the same amount of renewable electricity, a car with a fuel cell can only go half as far as a battery-electric one.”

In the case of car batteries, solid-state batteries are to replace lithium-ion technology. It does not require cobalt, which under questionable circumstances is mainly extracted in Africa. For environmentalists, electromobility is only part of the necessary turnaround in traffic. And so Greenpeace is also calling for a change in mobility towards an intelligent transport system in which bicycles, buses and trains play a bigger role

VinFast electric bus during test run Not only buses, coaches should also be encouraged to use trams Air pollution and fine dust threaten people’s quality of life. Every year, Vietnam has to pay a large amount of money, about 8-10 billion USD to import gasoline. Part of this is spent on operating traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles. In addition to the proposed inner-city electric buses for application in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In Ho Chi Minh City, it is thought that the government should consider the early policy of putting electric-powered intercity passenger cars into operation in order to both exploit the superiority of electric vehicle technology, while protecting the environment and bringing a a new look for public passenger transport in the new era. The world’s two major problems, which are environmental pollution due to emissions and energy security due to the finiteness of fossil energy sources (coal, oil, gas) have gradually become urgent. Air pollution, fine dust in Vietnam has become serious with big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. Ho Chi Minh. Here, it is recorded that there are maximum number of days in a year with the most dramatic air quality index – the most polluted air in the world. In the past two years, authorities at all levels have met to discuss and direct long-term radical solutions to further strengthen the control of air pollution, including the control of carbon emissions and fine dust from the air. means of transport. And fossil energy sources are not available in all countries. Vietnam is one of the importing countries, still heavily dependent on the world’s oil (although it is also partly domestic), it is estimated that it still has to import about 8-10 billion USD per year. With zero emissions and using electricity instead of petrol, electric vehicles are said to be a breakthrough solution for Vietnam in the context of the need to strengthen air pollution control, ensure energy security and suitability. with the development trend of the world’s means of transport. Simple structure of electric vehicles compared to vehicles using internal combustion engines “Electric vehicle” (EV) is often understood as a vehicle with an electric motor drive system. From the outside, an electric car looks like a car with an internal combustion engine (petroleum car). However, except for some parts and components for sharing, about 70% of the components of the two vehicles are different. The significant difference between electric vehicles and vehicles using internal combustion engines is the number of moving parts. Electric vehicles have only one moving part, which is the electric motor (motor), while cars using internal combustion engines have tens of thousands of different parts. Important components of electric vehicles include: battery, electric motor control system, regenerative braking system and powertrain. The number of spare parts for moving parts is less than in electric cars, which leads to another important difference, which is that electric cars require less maintenance (more economical to operate) and safer. safer, in addition to the advantages of environmental protection, civilized and modern technology. Why electric cars are becoming more and more popular At the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP 21) held in Paris (France), the participants reaffirmed their efforts to strengthen the response to climate change. The Paris Agreement announced in December 2015 has set a target to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. This goal can only be achieved when the energy and other sectors significantly reduce emissions. greenhouse gas emissions. The transport sector accounts for about a quarter of emissions from energy-related industries. The goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to contribute to achieving the goal of reducing global warming below 02 degrees Celsius can only be achieved with a strong commitment of the transport sector. The Sustainable Development Report of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has shown that, to achieve this goal, by 2050, the world’s transport sector must contribute at least one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions. cuts from energy use activities. Electric cars are identified as a key factor contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in general, encouraging the development of new energy sources and recycled energy. In the context of rapid urbanization, the development of electric cars also contributes to reducing air pollution and noise pollution in big cities. The main obstacles to the development of electric cars are the initial cost of the car and the time available between two charges of the battery. However, the recent rapid development of science and technology has shown positive signs. According to a recent report by the US electric car company Proterra, a single charge for the bus can be up and running for 650 km and the price is becoming more and more relevant to the market to ensure more competitive exploitation than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. Level of use of electric vehicles in countries around the world To date, China is the leading country in production, domestic consumption and export, with the famous electric car manufacturer BYD. In China, according to the data at the end of 2018, the total number of electric buses put into operation is over 421,000 units, Shenzhen city uses 100% of electric vehicles in public passenger transport, while Beijing and Shanghai , the utilization rate of electric buses has reached over 80%. Electric buses are increasingly popular in provinces and cities in China. Europe ranks 2nd among countries using electric vehicles with 2,250 units, the number of electric vehicles used will increase as some European countries such as the Netherlands set a target to convert and use 100% electric vehicles. (including buses, coaches plus and private cars) by 2024. The United States is also the country that is starting to shift towards using more electric vehicles. Although there are only over 300 electric buses in the United States, the number of electric buses is increasing in the near future, with the city of Los Ageles having just decided to buy 155 electric buses to serve all passenger transport activities. in this city. With the new energy policy (Green New Deal), led by many famous electric vehicle manufacturers such as Telsla, Proterra and even Apple recently announced the new Apple car electric car model, there is sure to be a boom in usage. electric vehicles in the United States under the new administration are clearly visible. For electric vehicles, environmental protection is always a top priority Why use an electric car? As mentioned above, electric vehicles are vehicles without chimneys, do not emit CO2, greenhouse gases into the environment. Therefore, the exploitation of electric vehicles in passenger transport is completely environmentally friendly, which is not controversial. Many researchers, policy makers still argue. The first is the traceable environmental issue of electric vehicles, that is, the source of electricity that electric vehicles use is clean electricity, that is, electricity using renewable energy such as solar power, wind power … or electricity from heat. Obviously, over the past time, the Government has called on businesses to invest in the production of solar power, rooftop voltage and wind power…, this electricity has been purchased by the state and connected to the national grid. Only the current supply has not met the demand and more clean electricity is needed to connect to the network. The second is the problem that the production of batteries for electric vehicles is still energy-intensive and emits a significant amount of CO2. As stated, today’s technology is evolving like crazy. As the demand for electric vehicles and batteries increases, mass production of large capacity batteries will result in better environmental control and lower loss and emissions. Here, it is a matter of deciding for the electric vehicle industry to have a direction in which to invest, cooperate and develop. When domestic manufacturers have been proactive in technology, it is possible to produce and recycle used batteries, thereby closing the production and exploitation process effectively and ensuring the problem. environment. What are the implications for passenger transport in Vietnam in the new period? Facing the environmental context, the challenge of air pollution as well as ensuring national energy security, Vietnam should consider the development of electric cars as a breakthrough policy for technology development, domestic auto industry. The introduction of electric vehicles into transport operation has really been a push to change for the progress to serve the travel needs of people and socio-economic development in the new period. The use of electric vehicles for public passenger transport is not only in the inner city as the project of electric buses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City as the media recently mentioned, but also hereby recommended that the State should have a policy to encourage the development of electric vehicles for inter-provincial passenger transport (both for fixed and non-fixed routes). To do this, the state has policies to socialize and encourage transport business owners to use electric vehicles in transport business activities; encourage businesses to invest in charging station infrastructure at rest stops, bus stations and other concentrated stops for re-energized vehicles to serve well for transport activities. In short, the policy to encourage the use of electric vehicles is a right one, in terms of both environmental protection as well as energy security. In addition to electric buses as currently proposed to be applied in the inner city of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City is also considering the application of intercity buses running on electricity. With a national electric passenger transport network being formed, improving user experience, increasing the quality of transport services, electric cars will have a good future in Vietnam, gradually replacing the traditional means of transport. fossil fuel-powered transportation.

Apple hires former BMW CEO for electric car project. The iPhone maker’s car-making efforts, known as Project Titan, have progressed unsatisfactorily since 2014. At this point, Apple began designing its own vehicles for the first time. In December 2020, Reuters reports that Apple is working on self-driving car technology and aims to produce a passenger vehicle, including breakthrough PIN technology, by 2024. Previously, in 2018, the tech giant Apple hired former Tesla design chief Andrew Kim, sparking speculation that Apple was once again trying to develop its own car. The timing of Apple’s hire of Andrew Kim seems to coincide with Doug Field’s return to Apple as well. Looking at the profile of Andrew Kim, this designer has contributed to Tesla’s hit models Model 3, Model S, Model X, Model Y as well as Roadster V2 and Semi. Before taking on a major role at Tesla, Kim spent three and a half years at Microsoft, where he developed user interfaces and Windows 10 products such as HoloLens and Xbox One S.

In terms of new car pricing strategy, Audi did not learn from the earlier experiences and lessons of the two “big brothers” Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but remained “confident” as always. Text | Chai Xiaona Figure｜Source network The same is the ace electric car on the market. Ford “Mustang” electric car-Mustang Mach-E won a lot of money, and “old driver” Audi recently launched two e-tron electric cars, but the pricing “floating” and falling into controversy. On April 11, the Audi e-tron family was launched. FAW-Audi’s domestically produced e-tron has launched three models with subsidies priced at RMB 546,800 to 648,800; FAW Audi’s imported e-tron Sportback has launched two models with subsidies priced at RMB 658,800 to 718,800. The domestically-made Audi e-tron and Sportback models have 230 and 265kW motor power, and the acceleration is only 7.5 seconds. It is equipped with a 96.7kWh ternary lithium battery from the Ningde era and has a NEDC endurance of 500km/465km. Regardless of the acceleration performance or the endurance, the two Audi e-tron products can only be said to be close to the “mainstream level” of the market, and there is no outstanding advantage. However, in the new car pricing strategy, Audi did not learn from the previous experience and lessons of the two “big brothers” Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but remained “confident” as always. To be honest, the price of the domestic Audi e-tron is enough to buy the top equipment in almost all Chinese brand electric vehicles, including Weilai, plus all the optional equipment. The question is, now that both Mercedes-Benz and BMW have suffered “high pricing” losses, why did Audi set such a high price for the two e-tron family products that were launched earlier? The battle has just started, and the “Aura” can’t be lost first There is no doubt that the reason why Audi dared to price the two e-tron products introduced into the Chinese market is obviously not from the excellent sales record in the world. From a global perspective, BBA is still a “catch-up player” in the high-end electric vehicle market. From the full year of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021, the sales performance of Audi e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC and BMW iX3 is far from reaching expectations, and none of the models entered the top 10 sales list, which is unimaginable in the sequence of fuel vehicles. In 2020, the global sales of Audi e-tron was 47,000, which was also the number that was highlighted at the press conference. In addition, in the first quarter of 2021, Audi e-tron delivered 3,474 vehicles in the United States, an increase of 103% over the same period last year, but last year’s global epidemic, this year-on-year data is not conspicuous. In addition, 850 units of the newly launched e-tron Sportsback were delivered. It seems that the reason for setting prices so confidently because of good global sales is obviously untenable. Since the sales volume is not good, why is the price of the follow-up domestic models still so high? What are the factors behind it? The author noticed a detail that the FAW-Volkswagen Audi e-tron will be assembled and produced in the form of CKD at the FAW-Volkswagen Audi Changchun plant. Compared with the complete localization of the Tesla Shanghai plant, Musk has achieved the ultimate cost advantage. A senior person in the new energy industry analyzed “Car One Road” and said that CKD assembly is different from Tesla’s full localization, industrial chain, R&D, talent, and supply chain system. The global supply chain system for new energy vehicles is basically in China. (Except for chips, it will also be in China in the future). If you want to win, you must all in China, not all in e-tron. This person said that Germany’s new energy supply chain system has no economies of scale and no cost system. Musk has to rely on the Chinese supply chain to survive. If Audi is still in the CKD stage and has not tapped the potential of China’s supply chain, Even if there is no comprehensive localization, it will be difficult for the domestic Audi e-tron to make a difference in the Chinese market in the future. In terms of how to use the supporting advantages of the Chinese market to minimize production costs, the overall performance of BBA is not as good as Tesla. In addition, the BBA is invincible in the era of fuel vehicles. It has unique pricing power in the Chinese market, and the brand premium is extremely high. This kind of inertial thinking about pricing is difficult to change. Otherwise, there are two most difficult things in the world, one is to put other people’s money in one’s own pocket, and the other is to put one’s own thoughts into other people’s heads. Finally, the face of the century-old brand “old nobleman” can be said to be let go. This is even more invisible power. Obviously, in addition to the two major price killers of cost and brand, in the era of smart electric power, the power of software subscription services should also not be underestimated. If you only look at cost and premium brand premiums, you obviously understand the current “software-defined car”. Not deep enough. Different “underlying logic” from new cars If you have seen the press conferences of new car-making forces, such as Weilai ET7, HiPhi X, including Zhiji L7, Xiaopeng P5, etc., which are constantly streaming out the latest information, and even last year’s Weilai EC6, Xiaopeng P7, including BYD Han EV, you will notice that Audi and other BBA players rarely mention chips, algorithms, cruising range, lidar, full-stack self-developed, etc., frequently mentioned by new carmakers. Taking the Audi e-tron launch conference as an example, Audi put its focus and more space on three key words: a century of gene safety and luxury. The main product is “century gene”, “safety brand”, five-star NCAP crash safety rating, 540,000 kilometers vibration test twice the national standard, and 137 battery safety tests that are stricter than the national standard. There was no endorsement from semiconductor giants such as Qualcomm and Nvidia at the release site. This is very Audi, of course it is also very traditional. Do you think Audi lacks friends? Behind it is a deeper profit model dilemma. This also means that it is difficult for Audi to generate additional profits in software in the future. The current frequent OTAs, version iterations, and software upgrades of new powers, the contact with users are lifelong, and the charges are continuously output. The Audi e-tron is more like a one-off deal. This is still very traditional. Tradition is not terrible, and it is not necessarily wrong. The problem is that this will affect pricing. Pricing will in turn affect the market and ultimately sales. Take a look at Tesla’s data. According to estimates, Tesla can generate nearly tens of billions of yuan (US$1.4 billion) in annual revenue by relying on software alone. Tesla’s FSD (Fully Autonomous Driving) and upgrade system are all additional fees, and the “software subscription” will be launched as scheduled. NIO’s BaaS (battery rental) and software subscriptions both generate profits every day. For Xiaopeng, all users who have purchased the Zhizun version, Xiaopeng Motors will provide XPILOT3.0 software upgrade services. The standard price is 36,000 yuan. If the user completes the lifetime service purchase at one time when paying for the car, it only costs 20,000 yuan. Obviously, a one-off sale limits the profit margin of a luxury electric. In the era of smart electric vehicles, the profit model of car companies is obviously not only hardware, but also manufacturing. It uses later service and software upgrades to pry open users’ money pockets. This is a trend and is irreversible. For example, the separation of the Weilai car shop, the power exchange mode, and the Tesla upgrade system. Don’t look at the money now is just a trickle. One day in the future, it will become a vast ocean. Audi, on the other hand, does not stack software, nor does it follow the trend to engage in a smart arms race. I want to make money once, can the Audi e-tron be priced high? Write at the end In the era of fuel vehicles, luxury brands removed the BBA in the Chinese market, and then Porsche. Today, the world has changed. Tesla, NIO, Xiaopeng, ideals have stabilized their head camp brands, Lantu, Zhiji, Gaohe, Salon Zhixing, and Jihu are on the road. Dozens of high-end smart brands that want to grab the BBA are swarming, which The benchmark is not BBA. Some insiders ridiculed that the BMW iX3’s official landing was only two months ago, and if this continues, the Audi e-tron is not far from the official landing.

At a meeting with leaders of the Government, ministries and sectors in mid-May, Vingroup applied for a pilot exemption of excise tax and registration fee for electric cars for 5 years in order to promote the electric vehicle market. . In fact, this is the first proposal in Vietnam but not new in the world. Many countries have also applied a combination of supportive policies, strong incentives for consumers and manufacturers to encourage the model transition from gasoline to electricity, typically China, the US and other countries. Europe. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Hallgeir Langeland, 65, a former Norwegian politician and environmental activist, has not owned a car in 25 years. But when Ford launched an all-electric version of the Mustang last year, he didn’t hesitate. “I have to have it. I can’t wait until March,” Mr. Langeland said, recalling the Mustang he drove as a young man. Christian Burg, owner of an energy-efficient housing construction business in Germany, has been driving a petrol BMW X3 SUV for many years. When the German government increased subsidies for electric cars, he applied for a small business subsidy and switched to the iX3 rechargeable hybrid. “We received an incentive of 3,750 euros ($4,500),” he revealed. Governments are tightening emissions standards and supporting industries on the front lines of the fight against climate change. Photo: Reuters. From electric vehicle powerhouses China and Europe… Governments around the globe have introduced a variety of policies to boost the electric vehicle industry over the years, including reducing taxes, fees, subsidies, incentives, and administrative regulations. The common point is that governments have set a specific roadmap to transition from fossil fuel vehicles to electric cars. According to the CNBC Many Chinese drivers switch to electric cars because of the government’s preferential policies. For example, in 2016, Chinese buyers received a nationwide discount of 55,000 yuan ($8,599.01) for each BEV and 30,000 yuan ($4,690) for PHEVs. Municipal governments also provide additional support up to 55,000 yuan. Beijing also subsidizes electric vehicle manufacturers based on battery power density, driving range and energy consumption. For example, in 2020, a pure electric vehicle with a minimum range of 300 km will receive a subsidy of 16,200-22,500 yuan (2,532-3,517 USD). Along with that, it supports the construction of a battery charging network for electric vehicles. For taxes and fees, China offers 50-100% reduction in user registration fees from time to time, annual tax relief, free or low-cost charging. In addition, manufacturers will receive credit points if they produce many electric vehicles. China is the leading electric vehicle market in the world. Photo: Reuters. Buyers of electric vehicles in China also receive preferential registration fees, no need to wait for car registration for 6-12 months, free highways, and parking. In Shenzhen alone, taxis switching to electric vehicles will be able to receive subsidies. A 27-year-old customer, who lives in Hangzhou, has been waiting almost a year for a license plate for his petrol car. However, after seeing Xpeng’s G3 electric car, she decided not to wait any longer. “After applying the government subsidy, the car fits my budget of about 180,000 yuan (US$27,643),” she said. The European Union (EU) is also gradually tightening emissions standards and supporting industries on the front lines in the fight against climate change. Much of the support goes to initiatives that push consumers to buy electric vehicles, which in turn drives demand. After applying the government subsidy, the car fits my budget of about 180,000 yuan (US$27,643) A 27-year-old customer in Hangzhou In 2020, sales of new electric vehicles in European countries doubled, accounting for 43% of global sales. Rising momentum has brought the EU over China to become the world’s largest electric vehicle market. For example, Germany subsidizes up to 4,000 euros ($4,874) per BEV and 3,000 euros ($3,656) for PHEVs. The country also built a €1 billion fund for rebates and building charging stations. Meanwhile, France subsidizes 6,000 euros ($7,312) for cars that emit less than 20g of CO2, 5,000 euros ($6,093) per BEV, and nearly 10,000 euros ($12,187.01) for customers who switch from diesel vehicles to BEVs. Similar to France and Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Finland also apply different subsidies to electric vehicle customers. Denmark alone reduces sales tax up to 80%. Some major Spanish cities reduce taxes by 75%, while Finland has a minimum tax rate. …to North America Transportation is currently America’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, US President Joe Biden’s plan to change gasoline cars to electric cars is essential to solving the problems of climate change. Biden’s proposals include incentives of up to $174 billion for electric cars. His plan is to increase discounts for customers who buy electric cars. In addition, the US president plans to push to increase the number of public chargers from 72,000 in 2019 to 500,000 in 2030. He also called for replacing the US government’s fleet of about 650,000 vehicles with models. electricity. Experts of Bloomberg It is estimated that 500,000 chargers may require about 6 billion USD of investment. Part of the $174 billion subsidy will also go directly to consumers to stimulate demand. Along with that are orders for electric vehicles directly from the federal government. To realize his climate ambitions, Mr. Biden needs to benefit as many electric vehicle manufacturers as possible. Bloomberg The above expenses all bring about the same effect. That’s increasing demand to accelerate the electrification of the US auto industry. Previously, the federal government and some states offered tax credits (up to $7,500) and incentives for buying electric vehicles, but the main federal incentive will begin to cut after manufacturers sold 200,000 electric cars. “To realize his climate ambitions, Mr. Biden needs to benefit as many electric vehicle manufacturers as possible.” Bloomberg comment. Meanwhile, the Canadian government requires that all vehicles sold starting in 2040 will produce zero emissions. The province of Québec will ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars from 2035. British Columbia will completely ban the sale or rental of gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2040. Norway also introduced subsidy programs to boost sales of electric vehicles, including direct support of 4,000 euros ($4,874) to users, a 50% subsidy on vehicle prices and the cost of station construction and installation. charger for the manufacturer. A plan to change petrol cars to electric cars is necessary to address climate problems. Photo: Reuters. Along with that is a discount on fast charging service, free parking, fees for ships, boats, harbors, and the use of bus lanes; some road and ferry fees are waived. Taxes exempted for electric vehicles in Norway include fuel, road, and vehicle taxes. Meanwhile, Japan also exempts taxes related to vehicle ownership, purchase and tonnage. In 2020, electric car buyers will receive a subsidy of up to $7,700 depending on the vehicle’s battery capacity. According to Dr. Bui Quang Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, government support is essential if Vietnam wants to develop the electric car industry to catch up with the world’s trends and achieve its goals. on green growth. “The support policy demonstrates the tectonic role of the State, its commitment to accompany businesses so that they can grow up, reach out to the world, and raise the level of Vietnamese people. Behind this policy is a very important political meaning, not just economic support,” said Dr. Bui Quang Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics.

Huawei is starting to move into the car business after being hit by a US ban that made it lose access to chip design software for smartphones. The company recently launched the Seres SF5 crossover between Huawei and energy firm Cyrus. This model features smartphone connectivity and automatically transfers music and navigation information between the two sides, and is equipped with voice control technology and an audio system with 11 speakers. Visitors at Auto Shanghai exhibition in Shanghai (China). Photo: Reuters. Sources familiar with the matter said that, in addition to working with Changan to develop joint venture-branded smart cars, Huawei also plans to launch its own branded electric vehicles. and is in talks to buy a controlling stake in the electric vehicle division of a small domestic automaker. Huawei’s partnership with Chongqing Changan comes amid a global shortage of semiconductors and particularly affects carmakers. According to observers, switching to the automotive chip business is a more appropriate new direction, especially when the company is unable to produce chips for smartphones due to the bans from the US. Changan is currently unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, Huawei said it will let automakers make announcements about their cooperation relationships. Battery maker CATL, also part of the partnership, was also unavailable for comment.

By Christoph Arnowski, BR A high proportion of electricity from coal, insufficient range, too few charging points – all this makes many people doubt the electric car. Also the Ingolstadt engineer Roland Gumpert. That is why he has developed a completely new electric drive concept that works without a charging cable and still enables a long range – and with which the car can be refueled as easily and quickly as a petrol or diesel. The technical core is a methanol fuel cell. If these are fed with climate-neutral methanol, their cars will run without greenhouse gas emissions, says Gumpert: “We can install this concept in any car, in a Polo with 50 hp or in a long-haul truck with 40 tons,” says the engineer. “We are vastly superior to normal battery cars.”

“Father” of the Audi Quattro

Gumpert isn’t just anyone in the automotive industry. For decades he worked successfully for Audi – most recently as Marketing Director for the joint venture between VW and Audi in China. At the beginning of the 1980s, as head of Audi Sport, he and his rally drivers brought four world championship titles to Ingolstadt. The basis was the Quattro drive, which was considered a technical sensation in 1980. For the first time, an automobile manufacturer built a permanent four-wheel drive into its street car. Gumpert is considered one of the fathers of the Quattro drive.

Billions invested in electromobility

Now, at the age of 76, Gumpert wants to show it to the entire industry again – with his own small company. He wants to prove that his car with a methanol fuel cell is better than any electric car with a large battery and charging cable. But politics and industry are so far not interested in Gumpert’s idea. Is it because you have agreed on battery-electric e-mobility and have invested billions in developing it? “Germany can only achieve the EU’s 2030 climate target with a high proportion of electric cars,” the Association of the Automotive Industry VDA shares BR policy magazine controversial on request with. All other options are “not available in ‘mass production’ until then”. Audi expresses itself similarly. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker did not even respond to Gumpert’s invitation to take a look at his concept. Compared to the BR explains a company spokesman: “Electromobility is by far the most efficient way to decarbonise and achieve CO2 fleet targets. Audi is therefore concentrating on battery-electric mobility.”

This is how the methanol fuel cell works With the drive concept, cars do not fill up with hydrogen, which is technically complex and expensive. Instead, a mixture of methanol and water is put into the tank. This is as uncomplicated and quick as possible with gasoline or diesel. This mixture is only heated and broken down into its components in the car itself. The oxygen and carbon dioxide escape into the air. Because climate-neutral methanol is used, there are no additional greenhouse gas emissions. The fuel cell converts the hydrogen from the methanol into electricity, which runs the electric motor.

For the first time, engineer Roland Gumpert implemented his drive concept in the Nathalie sports car – a two-seater coupé with 550 hp and a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour. The fuel cell produces enough electricity in the car to be able to travel at speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. If you want to drive faster, the battery supplies the electric motor with the additional energy required. If the speed drops below 130 km / h, the fuel cell not only supplies the driving current, but also recharges the battery at the same time. In this phase, the car drive needs less electricity than the fuel cell produces. If the vehicle comes to a complete stop, all the electricity from the methanol fuel cell flows into the battery.

If the battery is empty, the car can continue to drive, but at a maximum of 130 km / h – and as long as there is methanol in the tank. Gumpert specifies the range of the car as around 800 kilometers.

“The train left”

The Ulm management consultant Arnold Lamm also believes that the battery-electric car will prevail. “The train has left, you can’t stop it,” says Lamm. As an engineer, he worked for Daimler for more than twenty years. At the end of the 1990s, the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer opted for a drive with a methanol fuel cell, but the company did not achieve the breakthrough it had hoped for at the time. Lamm’s conclusion today: “Technically it works, but then as now I consider this system to be far too complex, too expensive and too time-consuming for a mass market.” Engineer Gumpert disagrees. His drive works: in the prototype of the “Nathalie” he built, a 400,000 euro super sports car that he plans to produce in a small series next year. And the same in an E-Smart that he has converted. His system is competitive: “We know for sure that we can get there with mass-produced products in terms of cost. Our system, including the battery, is ultimately no more expensive than a battery-powered car,” says Gumpert.

Advantages especially on long journeys?

Also from the point of view of the car expert Lamm, the technology “in this configuration is definitely worthwhile to be further promoted”. However, he sees opportunities above all in trucks that have to cover long distances. Here it could have advantages over pure hydrogen vehicles and electric trucks. So should the federal government be interested in e-cars with methanol fuel cells? At least Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer knows the concept. Gumpert was already in Berlin two years ago with his “Nathalie”. Scheuer seemed pleased. But does a 400,000 euro sports car really help in the fight against climate change? The minister sent engineer Gumpert back to Ingolstadt with homework: he was supposed to prove that his drive concept also worked in a small car.

Political tailwind for converted Smart?

In fact, Gumpert converted an E-Smart on behalf of the ministry. Since then, the car has driven 15,000 kilometers – without any problems, without a charging cable, just refueled with green methanol. However, all attempts to inform Scheuer about this failed for months. Emails from the company with the request to present the Smart in Berlin initially went unanswered. Upon request from Controversial said the ministry that methanol fuel cell systems were “not a mass-market solution”. In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Transport has also contacted Gumpert. “We’re finally out of the drawer,” says the engineer. “We have been forgotten and apologized and will soon give us an appointment for a video conference.” So is the small company from Ingolstadt still getting some political tailwind? Engineer Gumpert continues to hope so. So far he has been pretty much alone with his vision of an electric car with a methanol fuel cell that can be refueled very easily and that continues to drive even with an empty battery.

It was from a sarcastic comment of the online community on Twitter that the news that the Ford Bronco was being developed an all-electric version immediately became a phenomenon discussed on American car forums. Specifically, shortly after Ford announced the F-150 Lightning, a Tesla supporter commented asking Ford CEO Jim Farley if they are truly committed to a future centered around electric vehicles, why new product lines like Ford Bronco does not have this option? In response, the Ford leader asked this person, “Why do you think we don’t have one?”. Immediately, many American newspapers questioned the Ford spokesman, but the American brand temporarily declined to comment on the feasibility of the project. In 2018, Ford said it would have 7 electric vehicle lines launched before the end of 2022 with a commitment that electrified versions will target the best-selling car series such as Bronco, Escape, Explorer, Mustang and F. -150. Information about the Ford Bronco Hybrid, since then, has generally not been much except for a short video with the digital dashboard on the SUV showing the EV Coaching feature from last year. If Ford is still developing an electrified version of the Bronco from 2018 to now, the 2022 milestone they announced before is completely doable. Reference: Carscoops

The picture of electrochemical cars in the world Currently, the strong socio-economic development is leading to a skyrocketing number of vehicles, especially cars using combustion engines, which are contributing to a series of problems related to cars. environmental contamination as well as energy needs. However, the electrochemical trend is being applied more and more on vehicles, creating hybrids and electric cars, this is considered the “savior” of humanity in the future. The proof for that is that the sales of these vehicles are on the rise. According to the EV Volumes , the total volume of electric cars (EV) sold globally in 2020 will reach about 3.24 million units, reaching a market share of 4.2% and growing at 43.4% compared to 2019. Of which, 1.15 million units were produced in Europe, 0.5 million units were produced in North America and 1.6 million units were made in the Asia-Pacific region (China, Korea, Japan). The Workshop on Electrified Automotive Trends in Vietnam was recently organized by Tien Phong Newspaper. Currently, China is still the country with the top sales of electric cars in the world with 1.337 million units in 2020, an increase of 12% compared to 2019; Germany ranked second with 398 thousand units, up 254%; The US ranked third with sales of 328,000 units, up 4%. According to the share of Associate Professor – Dr. Dam Hoang Phuc (Deputy Head of Automotive Department – Hanoi University of Technology), cars with electric batteries have appeared since 1839. Over time In short development, electric cars almost disappeared due to the inability to compete with combustion engine cars in the 20th century. However, the mission of this vehicle went back into the 21st century with green cars, most economical and intelligent to protect the environment, limit dependence on fossil fuels. In addition, electric cars not only appear in people’s lives, but also present in all areas such as: Confidential military vehicles, F1 Hybrid racing cars, F1 racing for pure electric cars. Associate Professor – Dr. Dam Hoang Phuc (Deputy Head of Automotive Department – Hanoi University of Technology) gave a speech during the seminar on Electrochemical Automotive Trends in Vietnam. Meanwhile, some forecasts suggest that electric cars will account for 95% of all cars sold in Europe by 2030. Many countries in the “old continent” have set a goal to stop doing business. cars using internal combustion engines by 2050, Norway even announced it would end the sale of these cars by 2025. Developing electric cars in Vietnam needs many supportive policies According to the global trend, the Vietnamese market is also beginning to “set foot” in the electric vehicle sector with the bold direction of VinFast and some cautious moves from Toyota in the past year or so. There are no specific statistics on sales of electric vehicles (both motorcycles and cars) in Vietnam, but disclosures from industry agencies show that the number is not too much. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong (Deputy Department of Motor Vehicle Quality – Vietnam Registry Department) shared: “In 2020, only 900 electric cars will be imported and used in Vietnam, this number is in the first three months. by 2021 there will be 600 units, however, the majority of them will still be hybrids ”. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong (Deputy Head of Motor Vehicle Quality Division – Vietnam Registry Department). In fact, there are many opinions that “electrification is an irreversible trend, only a matter of time left”, but there are still many current problems that need to be solved to help this car thrive. more next time. On the concerned side, Mr. Phuong said: “In the new proposal to the parliament, the Ministry of Transport also mentioned tight control of environmental emissions from vehicles and will probably be seen. considered in the next National Assembly session. Regarding the control of the operation scope of all types of vehicles, it can be done, but there is no specific policy ”. Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thuy (Department of Industry – Ministry of Industry and Trade) replied about the electric vehicle development policy in Vietnam: “Currently, the latest automobile development strategy and planning has been approved by the government. approved in 2014. At that time there was not much appearance of electric vehicles, so there was no specific strategic plan. Electric vehicles have thrived in recent years, posing a problem that needs direction ”. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thuy (Industry Department – Ministry of Industry and Trade). It can be seen that the current policies for electric cars are not clear enough to strongly promote this industry. While many opinions suggest that the government needs to reduce tax fees for consumers to make the price of electric vehicle ownership more comfortable, manufacturers also need specific support. This is not only a policy story but also a challenge but also an opportunity for the nation. Associate Professor – Dr. Dam Hoang Phuc said: “The government needs to facilitate the development of electric vehicles by: Creating markets, expanding manufacturers, promoting manufacturers and researchers. “. At the same time, he also added: “Our country needs to apply the policy of ‘Inviting eagles to Vietnam to spawn’, which means inviting car manufacturers to produce electric cars in Vietnam”. Sharing on this issue, Mr. Nguyen Trung Hieu (Head of Strategic Planning Division of Toyota Vietnam) said: “Thailand launched its support policy in March, while Indonesia will announce its policy. strong in October, attracting many car manufacturers to invest. In fact, they have ‘finished the nest for the eagle’. Vietnam needs to do something so as not to miss this opportunity as well as this challenge. This is a story of national competition ”. Mr. Nguyen Trung Hieu (Head of Strategic Planning Department of Toyota Vietnam). Capturing the trend of electric car development will help Vietnam catch up with major markets around the world. However, the issue of supportive policies from the government needs to be resolved early to stimulate consumer demand and find a common voice with car manufacturers, helping them to no longer worry about the production of electric cars in Vietnam. Vietnam.

Term 2: Solve the quality management problem, electric vehicle regulations Electric vehicle charging station at AEON Ha Dong Shopping Center (Hanoi) – photo by Thanh Tung With more than 1 million electric scooters in circulation and thousands of electric cars handed over to customers by VinFast by the end of this year, the problem of quality management, registration, and charging station standards comes from The legal regulations in the circulation of vehicles for electric vehicles are in urgent need. Register like a traditional car At the end of March 2021, VinFast’s electric bus model was completed by the Vietnam Registry Department to verify design documents, vehicle safety testing and met the conditions of current automotive technical regulations. onions for mass production. Recently, VinFast has also announced to receive orders, produce an electric car model under 9 seats under the brand name VF e34, expected to hand over the car to customers in November 2021. In fact, electric cars have appeared in the country a few years ago and now there are 14 cars (all imported complete units, the Tesla brand). With the above trend, in the near future, the domestic market will have both imported CBU electric cars and domestically produced cars. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, Deputy Department of Motor Vehicle Quality – VAQ (Vietnam Registry Department), said that electric vehicles are quality controlled from the evaluation of vehicle design, safety testing to issue type certificates. and sample production. After the car is released, the circulation process, electric cars must be periodically registered as traditional cars. According to Mr. Dang Tran Khanh, Deputy Department of Motor Vehicle Inspection – VAR (Vietnam Registry Department), the biggest difference between electric cars and gasoline and oil cars is the energy source for the vehicle’s engine to operate. Therefore, the registry will apply the inspection of technical safety items according to the current national automotive technical regulations, except for the exhaust gas test, which will not be the same as gasoline or oil vehicles. “Currently, some countries like Singapore also test electric cars like conventional cars. However, the Vietnam Registry Department is consulting the experiences of countries and international automobile registration associations to take steps to research and prepare for the process of supplementing and completing the standards of cars, including cars. electricity ”, said Mr. Khanh. Which standard charging station? According to a recent study by the Research Group of the German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ), it is currently the beginning stage of the development of electric transportation in Vietnam. Imported electric vehicles including bicycles, electric scooters and four-wheeled passenger electric vehicles currently have more than 1 million vehicles. It is expected that by the end of 2021, there will be only electric cars produced domestically. About the current regulations applicable to electric cars, the representative of the Motor Vehicle Testing Center (Vietnam Registry Department) said that in-depth techniques for electric cars are electrical elements. There are a number of different research and development trends in the world. ” Electric car is still a manned car like a conventional internal combustion engine, so when the car is put into operation at present, there are no legal problems. Electric vehicle drivers, while participating in traffic in Vietnam, still comply with the current Decree 100 and the Law on Road Traffic
Decree 100 deals with the driver’s behavior more than the vehicle. And the current Law on Road Vehicle has regulations on vehicles, but in road motor vehicles, there is no regulation on engines. Therefore, the legal basis for electric vehicles is basically the same as conventional gasoline and oil vehicles, including procedures for vehicle registration and vehicle registration.
Mr. Khuat Viet Hung, Specialized Vice President of National Traffic Safety Committee ” Such as the standard of charging. Therefore, in this early stage, mainly based on the National Technical Regulation on technical safety quality and environmental protection for cars (QVN 09: 2015 / BGTVT) to test and evaluate. vehicle safety prices. At the same time, there is research to build appropriate standards for the development of electric cars in the country in the future. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Khoi, Director of the Department of Standards (General Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality), Vietnam currently has the standard TCVN 12241-3: 2018 on the secondary lithium-ion battery used for power transmission. for electric road vehicles. This International Standard specifies test procedures and acceptance criteria for the safety performance of batteries and masses of secondary lithium-ion batteries used to power road vehicles (EV). including battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). “However, we do not have a set of standards (required to apply) on charging stations and charging terminals. This is not even available in advanced countries. Just like the plug of household electrical appliances has not been agreed, where the power supply is 110V, where 220V, the device has a 3-pin or 2-pin plug, but the 2-pin plug is also each style. In addition, the structure of the electric vehicle charging station is also a technology secret issue, so no company wants to share it, so it has not been agreed to set which one is the standard. For example, the phone charger, until now it has been agreed, to buy any device, use the charger cord, the charger of that company, basically according to the original equipment manufacturer “, Mr. Khoi said. Just as a car powered by an internal combustion engine needs multiple gas stations, an electric vehicle (EV) also needs multiple public charging stations. The question is which technology standard charging station will Vietnam follow in order to be able to meet the maximum number of electric vehicles with different charging standards? According to Mr. Dao Cong Quyet, Head of the Public Relations Subcommittee of VAMA, there are currently 3 international charging standards for cars, including: Europe (CCS), Japan (CHAdeMO) and China (GB / T). ). If there are many electric car manufacturers, it is also necessary to have a common standard for the car manufacturers to plan to manufacture and import this type of vehicle for sale in Vietnam. Mr. Tran Quang Ha, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Transport), said that the charging standards of many basic companies according to Europe, but most of them do not have the uniformity of the common charging standard between the companies. Currently, road motor vehicles in Vietnam are basically all according to European standards. On the issue of waste disposal for electric vehicles, Mr. Ha informed that most countries have strict and strict regulations on waste product management. As for the discarded products containing harmful substances such as batteries and batteries, Vietnam has also had regulations but there are no sanctions. “When electric vehicles thrive, the problem of completing regulations on waste management and treatment such as batteries, batteries will be very hot. There should be clear sanctions “, Mr. Ha suggested.

From Steffen Wurzel, ARD studio Shanghai A battery factory in Changshu, just under 100 kilometers north of Shanghai. The Chinese e-car company Aiways has the batteries for their electric SUV called U5 assembled here. Robots put the individual parts together on a conveyor belt. The battery packs have a capacity of up to 63 kWh, which means that Aiways cars can travel 400 kilometers according to the manufacturer. Only a few workers stand on the conveyor belt. Most of the work steps run automatically, explains senior engineer Wu Lunbin. “It currently takes nine minutes and 44 seconds to make a battery pack for a car,” he says. “But we will continue to expand our production capacity, that will further increase the pace.”

Lots of bankruptcies and takeovers

In addition to Aiways, the other Chinese electric car start-ups are also self-confident. Of the original hundreds of small companies, around ten have remained after bankruptcies and takeovers, which have now actually brought market-ready electric cars onto the streets. They are called, for example, Li Auto, Xiaopeng, World Champion and Nio . Even if the sales figures of these companies are still very low compared to the established, international large car brands: The e-car start-ups have shaken up the car market in China, says Zeng Zhilin, founder of the Shanghai management consultancy LMC Automotive. “These e-car start-ups are digital through and through. They are brave and dare to sell their cars and use new technologies,” says Zeng. “E-car start-ups like Nio combine classic car technology and new software in a way that traditional corporations cannot.”

“Most difficult market ever”

In the affluent cities along the Chinese coast, the hip electric SUVs from the startup companies are already part of the normal street scene. So far, only a few have dared to go abroad, more precisely to Europe. The Shanghai company Aiways, for example, is trying. It also sells its off-road electric sedans in Germany for just under 30,000 euros if you include the state e-car bonus. “We want to start our business from Europe because that is the most difficult market ever,” says Aiways company founder Fu Qiang. “If we survive in Europe, we can do it anywhere. And with that we show our customers within China: Look here, we have what it takes to sell our products in Europe – we build high-quality cars.”

Aiways founder Fu Qiang wants to sell his cars in Germany over the Internet. Image: Steffen Wurzel Entering the German market is complicated for new car manufacturers: There is fierce competition, high price pressure, and German customers are not considered to be keen to experiment. And: It is time-consuming and expensive to set up a Germany-wide sales network. Aiways simply bypasses the latter point: The Shanghai company sells its cars in Germany online and through a consumer electronics chain that otherwise sells televisions and computers.

Cooperation with workshop chain

For inspections and repairs, Aiways customers are referred to the nationwide active workshop chain Auto -teile-Unger, ATU for short, explains Aiways company founder Fu Qiang. “ATU has enough locations in Germany. They don’t need any new equipment or new mechanics for our cars. The only thing they need is precise instructions on how our cars are serviced.” As far as the number of new cars produced is concerned, the e-car start-ups are catching up, but they are still far behind the established, large car manufacturers. Aiways plans to sell at least 10,000 cars outside of China this year. For comparison: the Volkswagen Group sold around 4.2 million cars last year – in China alone.

From Steffen Wurzel, ARD studio Shanghai In the country of origin of the Covid 19 pandemic, Corona hardly plays a role anymore. The economy is running again. This can be seen in the automotive industry, among other things. Analysts expect the Chinese auto market to grow by at least six percent this year.

Strong growth in electric cars

According to experts, sales of electric cars in China will increase at an above-average rate, which means that an increase of 70 percent is possible in the People’s Republic this year. So far, the US car company Tesla and numerous domestic e-car startups have been selling electric cars in China. The latter are called, for example, Xiaopeng, Nio , Li-Auto and Aiways. So far, these brands are hardly known in Germany. Nevertheless, China’s bustling e-car companies have made a difference in the boardrooms of the three major German car manufacturers. As far as China is concerned, BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen are now also focusing on electromobility.

German manufacturers with trade fair premieres

This can be seen from today at the auto show in Shanghai. Mercedes is showing its battery-powered models EQA and EQB, BMW is presenting the iX and the ID6 is having its world premiere at Volkswagen. Some analysts criticize that the largest German car company Volkswagen entered the e-mobility sector in China far too late. That rejected VW China boss Stephan Wöllenstein at the start of the fair. “Volkswagen almost has a good tradition of coming a little later, but all the more violently. That will probably be the case again with electromobility,” said Wöllenstein. “I think we’ve done our homework right now.” This gives the group the chance to make customers an offer that many competing companies, especially e-car startups, find it very difficult to find.

World’s largest auto show with almost no foreign visitors

With around 1000 exhibitors, “Auto China” in Shanghai is the largest auto show in the world. There will be almost no visitors from abroad. Because China’s leadership has kept the borders of the People’s Republic almost completely closed to foreigners for a good 13 months. This year, the trade fair in Shanghai is primarily a Chinese industry get-together.

“Tesla Hunters”, “Tesla Fighter” or even “Game Changer”: Industry experts and the media are praising the new fully electric Daimler luxury sedan EQS, which celebrated its world premiere yesterday. The Mercedes-S-Class is by far the most important and prestigious model series for the car manufacturer – a calling card for the car-interested world, with which one wants to present oneself from the best side and at the height of the engineering art. In the autumn of last year, the carmaker had already presented the S-Class with internal combustion engines. But that was yesterday’s world. The future, and actually the present, belongs to electromobility. And here the US competitor Tesla set the pace with its Model S in recent years.

Overslept the future?

According to Daimler’s plans, that should change from now on. “The EQS was developed to exceed even the expectations of our most demanding customers,” says CEO Ola Källenius, promoting the new luxury model. Above all, the management is concerned with catching up on the competition with Tesla at the top. “The importance of the EQS for Daimler’s reputation as an e-car builder is immense,” said industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer Deutsche Welle . The new vehicle is both a technology carrier and a symbol of the Group’s ability to innovate. For a long time, critics have accused the group of lacking innovative strength. For too long, Daimler has stuck to the concept of gasoline and diesel cars, while Tesla has long been shaping the future and building a technological lead that needs to be caught up now.

From now on it should go faster

Tesla is also way ahead in terms of sales in the electrical sector. Last year, the Californian company set a new record with almost 500,000 vehicles sold worldwide. In the first quarter of 2021, the share of e-cars in total sales was only ten percent, but this sector is currently growing strongly. According to the current status, Daimler is aiming for a sales share of electrified cars of “more than 50 percent” in its passenger car division by 2030. This includes both all-electric cars and hybrids. According to Källenius, it could also be faster. At the moment you can feel a “strong demand” for purely electric cars and hybrid vehicles, he said at the presentation of the new electric sedan. If you project this momentum into the future, “it may well be that the planning bases that we have had so far are perhaps too conservative, that things can go faster, that things can be more.”

Tesla still has a head start

The fully electric EQS ​​should go on sale from summer. The price is not yet known. Jürgen Pieper, auto expert at Bankhaus Metzler, reckons with a proud price of 150,000 euros. With a range of 770 kilometers and the ability to charge quickly, Daimler’s EQS will be Tesla’s most important challenger, commented Kai Alexander Müller, Barclays auto analyst. The second generation of Tesla’s Model S, announced for this year, should travel 660 kilometers without having to recharge. Nonetheless, Tesla will remain unmatched for longer when it comes to software for communication and entertainment in the car, explained Metzler analyst Pieper. “Even the EQS does not yet offer as much as Tesla in terms of networking and constant software updates.” Nevertheless, the presentation is a success for Daimler: “The EQS is the challenge for pure electric car manufacturers, above all for the US electric car pioneer Tesla, says Stephen Reitman, analyst at Societe Generale.

Operating profit ninefold – investors enthusiastic

The Stuttgart-based carmaker is currently also receiving tailwind from the fresh quarterly figures that were published that morning. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose to just under 5.8 billion euros in the first quarter. That was more than nine times the first quarter of 2020, which was marked by the outbreak of the corona pandemic – and more than experts had forecast. Daimler has not yet given information on sales and surplus, but it is clear that the group benefited in particular from the strong business in China. Daimler had reported a 22 percent increase in car sales for the first quarter, and sales soared by 60 percent in China alone. Investors like the latest news from Stuttgart. With a plus of almost three percent, the Daimler share leads the DAX.