Germany's Strategy for Electric Cars
President Obama once more promoted American-made electric cars during the EU-USA-summit in Lisbon, pushing for common standards with European carmakers. The US administration has set an ambitious target of 1 million electric cars on US roads by 2015. Germany, the EU’s largest economy and home to several global carmakers, appears less ambitious as the government’s target is 1 million electric cars by 2020. Government and carmakers are cooperating in eight test regions within the project under a program called National Plattform Electromobility.
Daimler’s head of research and development, Thomas Weber, however, sees little hope for even attaining this goal without financial incentives from the state: « People will not buy electric cars simply to protect the environment », Weber said in an interview for the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung two days after the EU-USA-summit in Lisbon.
Germany wants to play a leading role both as a market and as a provider of the eco-compatible cars, states Weber. Battery technology remains a major challenge. If Germany does not acquire competence in this particular area rapidly, then it will have missed its chance to grab market share, warns Weber. Interestingly, Daimler’s head of research and development does not expect Germany to become a top provider of knowledge and development in electric car battery technology, a key component of electric cars given its potential for added value. Daimler will set up its own battery production in a joint venture, Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co KG, together with Evonik, cooperating at the same time with the Chinese SYD. More than half of Daimlers’ R&D budget of €4.3Bn is dedicated to environment-friendly mobility technologies.
The National Plattform Electromobility has set up so-called window projects where potential customers can try the new vehicles. « Most people truly enjoy the acceleration and fun they get out of driving electric cars», says Weber. The eight test regions bring together not only carmakers and their suppliers, but also the energy companies and government agencies in order to integrate as many aspects as possible into a very complex project. One unresolved challenge is the risk of shortages at peak times such as early evening, if all customers plug in their cars for a recharge when they get home. « That’s the time that electricity consumption reaches a peak anyhow. We need intelligent technical solutions that are customer-friendly », sums up Weber.
Contact us
for additional information.
