Battle for the e-car: Stephan Weil sure – “Lower Saxony will remain an auto country”

Created: 01/25/2022, 18:53

By: Jens Kiffmeier

Despite Tesla competition: Lower Saxony will remain an important location when switching to electric cars.

That says Stephan Weil (SPD).

He doesn't tremble about VW.

Hanover – Right of way for electric cars: Despite the great international competition, Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) sees Lower Saxony's auto industry well prepared for the future.

There will be huge challenges and changes, but in the long run the Volkswagen Group (VW) will be able to offer enough jobs at its northern locations.

"I assume that in twenty years Lower Saxony will still be a car country, but the cars will be completely different," said the head of government in an exclusive interview with kreiszeitung.de.

The new federal government around Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to help electromobility finally achieve a breakthrough in the coming years.

By 2030, according to the declared goal of the traffic light partners, the combustion engine should be on the verge of extinction.

This is putting massive pressure on traditional car companies like Volkswagen.

The US carmaker Tesla in particular is trying to gain a foothold in the German market by building its own plant in Berlin.

The Vietnamese group Vinfast has also launched an attack on market shares.

E-car: Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) sees VW in Lower Saxony prepared for the future of electric cars

The exact effects for the Lower Saxony VW locations - also in terms of e-cars - are still controversial.

While some studies recognize a real job engine in the switch to electromobility, rumors of job cuts* are always making the rounds with a view to VW.

Nevertheless, Lower Saxony's car manufacturer is also investing billions in setting up its own plants, including for the Volkswagen electric car model Trinity in Emden.

Believes in electromobility: Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD).

© Julian Stratenschulte/dpa

Weil, who is a member of the VW supervisory board as prime minister, speaks of a “revolution” in connection with the switch to electric cars.

But despite the challenges, VW is the market leader and has “the potential to master the change”.

Weil admitted, however, that some suppliers that previously specialized in the internal combustion engine could face major problems in the near future.

On the other hand, the head of government argued, new business sectors and jobs would also be created in the field of electromobility - for example in digitization or battery production, which would have to ensure ever greater ranges.

Electromobility: Volkswagen is cooperating with Bosch on autonomous driving - More new registrations despite poor charging infrastructure

The extent to which new business partnerships are formed could also be observed on Tuesday.

Bosch and the VW software subsidiary Cariad announced a cooperation in the development of self-driving cars, as reported by the dpa news agency.

Both companies want to make partially and highly automated driving suitable for the masses and available to everyone.

Functions are planned in the vehicles of the VW Group in which drivers can temporarily take their hands off the steering wheel.

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In any case, the rethinking has already begun among customers.

Despite the poor charging infrastructure, the number of new registrations of e-cars has recently increased significantly.

However, consumers are primarily interested in new cars.

Meanwhile, used e-cars are flat on the yards of the dealers*.

* kreiszeitung.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.