Not too bad! The Bosses from the German Automotive Scene Hold Hope for Germany

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Despite many problems, the CEOs of Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW have not written off Germany as a location, as revealed in a recent survey ...

The new BMW CEO, Milan Nedeljkovic, sees opportunities to rebuild jobs and production in Germany in the long term when asked about his views on Germany as a location in terms of the automotive market: "We have a very strong foundation. And if we build on that foundation, the future can also be shaped!" he stated during an interview with the magazine Auto, Motor und Sport. In Germany, there is also a noticeable dynamic in terms of start-ups emerging. According to him, many young companies are indeed investing. However, the expert believes there is a lack of willingness to industrialize. It is evidently a problem when good, creative minds develop their ideas in Germany but then leave the country as soon as it comes to implementation. This unfavorable trend should be addressed early on, as it ultimately concerns future technologies and jobs, according to Nedeljkovic. Better framework conditions could help in this regard.

This is What Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz Say About Germany

And Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, as it is further reported, deals virtually every day with two essential topics—speed and costs. This is a fundamental question the industry needs to address. According to Blume, it is strongly felt in other regions of the world that other players are ahead of Germany in this regard. He therefore advocates breaking out of the comfort zone and being able to act both faster and more pragmatically. With regard to costs, he stresses the need to address cherished but obsolete issues to keep Germany competitive as a location. Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius wholeheartedly agrees: "The car companies have incredible creativity and innovative power. But we also need to cut costs in this country!" This realization, he adds, is shared by everyone in the automotive industry. Now, this understanding also needs to take root in society and politics. Tough actions are needed, otherwise industrial capital will flow in other directions. However, a potential problem might be an impending flood of cars from China, which is already on the horizon...

China's car Exports are Rising Significantly Again

China significantly increased car exports in May, it is reported, while demand in the domestic market continued to decline. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), exports of passenger cars rose by 73 percent (compared to May of the previous year), reaching around 809,000 vehicles. Particularly notable was the sharp increase in exports of electric and hybrid cars, which more than doubled to around 435,000 during the same period. Chinese automakers have been pushing into foreign markets for some time. The primary targets for Chinese brands are the markets in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.

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