Autoindustrie: Hoffnungsmarkt mit Schattenseiten: VW, Mercedes und BMW suchen ihr Heil in den USA
Die Autoindustrie will in den USA retten, was in China verloren geht. Übergroße Modelle und Verbrenner sollen die eingebrochenen Margen wieder treiben. Das birgt viele Risiken.
The German automotive industry seeks a lifeline in the United States, despite its pitfalls. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius, and BMW CEO Milan Nedeljkovic all recognize the importance of the US market for the future growth of their companies. The US market attracts buyers of large and expensive cars, with more than four out of five new vehicles being SUVs, pickup trucks, or vans.
In September, American buyers spent over $50,000 on average for a new vehicle. The absence of Chinese competition in the US, protected by tariffs and a ban on Chinese vehicle software from 2027, makes the market attractive. German manufacturers are investing heavily in the US, with BMW spending $16 billion on Spartanburg, Mercedes investing $7 billion in North America, and Volkswagen having invested over $4.3 billion in Chattanooga since 2011.
Despite the challenges of a shrinking market, German manufacturers aim to increase their market share in the US by 2030, with VW targeting an 8% increase and Mercedes aiming for a 33% increase. The German auto industry benefits from favorable working conditions and higher profit margins in the US, where more than 75% of sold vehicles still use combustion engines, while electric vehicles play a minor role.
The US market also sees higher sales per capita compared to Europe, benefiting German manufacturers.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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