The head of the car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, Ola Källenius, wants to continue expanding business in China despite growing political tensions. The growth potential there will remain highly attractive over the next ten years, said Källenius in an interview with WELT AM SONNTAG.
“Limiting yourself in China would make us weaker. That can’t be the strategy,” he said. China’s “economic miracle” has “also secured a large number of jobs in Germany”.
Källenius rejected a stronger regionalization of the economy: “If you believe that the Chinese economy could be separated from the European or American economy, that is a complete illusion. It would have dramatic consequences for the world economy, in no way comparable to those of the Ukraine war,” he said.
In view of the high energy prices, Källenius called for a quick switch to renewable energy sources. “I fully support the German government’s move to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian energy. But the temporary shortages shouldn’t distract us from the system change,” he told the newspaper. The industry must create decarbonization, “for this we need the energy transition as soon as possible”.
There would be no point in switching to electromobility if the energy continued to come from fossil sources. Mercedes is therefore participating in the expansion of the charging infrastructure and is planning to “become energy self-sufficient to a certain extent” at its own locations, said Källenius.
With a “1000 roofs program” they want to expand photovoltaics in their own buildings worldwide, and Mercedes-Benz is currently working on a wind power project in Germany. In the future, they want to use this to cover “a significant part” of their own electricity consumption.
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