Economic Challenges: Verliert Deutschland seine Poleposition im Autobau an China?
Nach dem VW-Sanierungsplan bis 2030 diskutieren Bert Rürup und Michael Hüther, wie ernst der Wettbewerbsdruck aus China die deutsche Autoindustrie wirklich trifft – und was helfen könnte.
In this segment of Economic Challenges, Handelsblatt chief economist Bert Rürup and Michael Hüther, Director of the German Institute of Economic Affairs, debate the future of Germany's automotive industry. The discussion centers around VW's 2030 revitalization plan, which includes job cuts and new usage concepts for the Emden, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm plants.
Rürup views this as a retreat from core business, while Hüther believes it is a signal that the location could be salvaged. The risks to the industry are greater in Rürup's opinion, citing the slow approach to electric mobility and the redefinition of cars as entertainment products by Chinese manufacturers. China's underpriced currency further gives them a pricing advantage.
Hüther points out that Germany's underpricing of the Chinese currency gives them an additional price advantage. Germany has the second-largest electric car manufacturing sector after China, and Chinese brands have increasingly targeted the volume market since 2021, with their share of EU new registrations rising from 0.6% to 8.7%.
The central question is whether Germany will permanently lose its premium position to China, focusing on the premium segment while the mass market goes to China.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
