european car electrification transformation is imminent
2024-10-03
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against the background that the european union has announced a complete ban on the sale of fuel vehicles from 2035, the european automobile industry is facing unprecedented transformation pressure and challenges. recently, the belgian audi factory is facing a major restructuring, triggering worker protests. this not only highlights the difficult choices faced by european automakers in the transformation process, but also reflects the fierce competition in the entire industry in the global wave of vehicle electrification.
previously, audi announced that its factory in brussels may be at risk of closing due to insufficient market demand for high-end electric vehicles, which directly caused about 3,000 permanent workers and 500 temporary workers at the factory to face an unemployment crisis. thousands of brussels workers strongly protested and called on the eu to update industrial policies, ensure investment, and protect jobs to avoid further losses in european manufacturing.
the dilemma of the audi factory is a microcosm of the dilemma of electrification transformation in the european automobile industry, reflecting the difficult exploration of the entire industry on the road to electrification transformation.
the european electric vehicle market continues to be weak, which is attributed to the slow response of european governments and companies to market changes and the lagging behind in electric vehicle technological innovation. on the one hand, facing the tight deadline of the ban on the sale of fuel vehicles in 2035, european car companies responded hastily and lacked long-term planning. on the other hand, the lack of subsidies for electric vehicles in european countries has also worsened sales. since the end of last year, many countries including germany and italy have canceled electric vehicle purchase subsidies. data from the european automobile manufacturers association (acea) shows that in july 2024, european electric vehicle sales fell by 10.8% compared with the same period in 2023.
the sales of european car companies in overseas markets have continued to decline, and the sales of many multinational car companies such as volkswagen, bmw, and mercedes-benz have declined to varying degrees. in the european domestic market, although the demand for new energy vehicles has increased, the overall penetration rate is still insufficient. the competitiveness and market response speed of european car companies in electric vehicle technology are obviously lagging behind.
what's even more serious is that european car companies may be fined for not selling enough electric vehicles in 2025. according to eu regulations, starting from january 2025, the authorized carbon dioxide emission threshold value per kilometer for each vehicle will be reduced from the previous 95 g/km to 81 g/km. therefore, each car company must sell more electric vehicles to ensure that average fuel consumption meets the standards, otherwise it will face sky-high fines. luca de meo, president of the european automobile manufacturers association and ceo of renault, recently warned: “if european electric vehicle sales remain at the current level, automakers may have to pay a fine of 15 billion euros or give up more than 2.5 million vehicles. production of fuel vehicles.”
faced with heavy pressure, the european automobile industry is actively seeking self-help. the eu is stepping up research on relevant support policies and incentives, including increasing electric vehicle purchase subsidies, implementing tax incentives and increasing the scale of charging facility construction. at the same time, european car companies are also increasing investment in research and development in the field of electric vehicles, promoting the coordinated development of the industrial chain, and building a complete electric vehicle ecosystem.
the european automotive industry is in a critical period of transformation. in the future, as electric vehicle technology continues to mature and the market expands, the european automotive industry is expected to achieve new breakthroughs and development in the electrification transformation. of course, this process requires the joint efforts of the government, enterprises and society. (economic daily reporter xie mengfan)
source: economic daily
