The German car Association VDA stands in front of a power sample. The Volkswagen outgoing dispute over the correct strategy for the future split of the big car manufacturers and their suppliers. In a crisis, call this Wednesday evening, the heads of BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen, as well as VDA President Bernhard Mattes try, to smooth the daily mirror details the waves.
“Now, unity is important”, you can hear swearing in the Association. However, the ranks of the members are in an uproar. Of a “targeted provocation” from Wolfsburg, the speech is a VW competitor. Volkswagen-chief Herbert Diess, who has broken with the industry’s Credo of openness to new technologies and battery-electric mobility set, tire “dashing on the road” and drive a – also in the VW group’s controversial-“hot”. Instead of solving the conflict of alternative drive strategies with the VDA, internal, carrying Diess him in the Public. “And that wasn’t the last attack”, you fear.
The VDA represents the interests of 600 member companies
To the outside of the VDA are still left. Friction, it is said, gave it to the organization in the past. The VDA represents the interests of 600 member companies – from Dax-listed companies to small and medium-sized companies. “Volkswagen is a big company, but just one of many VDA members”, assisting a competitor. The Association as a “mirror of its members” do well to stay at its balance Position. “We need the VDA and its many working groups that take care of the Details,” says another member of the Union. But: “Volkswagen as the world market leader does not need the bandage.”
on the question of the openness to Technology, the VW chief Herbert Diess as a “false Slogan” had criticized, the VDA is also true. Other propulsion and fuel alternatives remained “in the field of view”, the Association said on the weekend – the development of hydrogen engines, synthetic fuels, gas-powered drives or Plug-in hybrid goes hand-so according to the VW-Offensive briefly about the Board.
the business models of The suppliers must remain open to new technology
How? Too powerful, the interests of the large suppliers Bosch, Continental and ZF, whose business models technology remain open, because the corporations have customers around the world with different Wishes. So, too, the VDA must remain trying to find “the intersection” of all interests, as it is said in Berlin on behrenstrasse. And to remember the shared long-term goals of the automotive industry: climate protection, emissions reduction, electric mobility. About not going to a fight, but on the right path.
But the sharpness of the car manufacturer to attack on the open stage and behind the Scenes, cast doubt on the Consensus. Although you want to know at Volkswagen of an impending exit from the VDA nothing more. Such a move, the Report speculates, will constantly discussed, but it is currently “unlikely”.
But the mere possibility of the most important member could return to the Association the back, increased in the case of some official of the pulse. What would be the Alternative then? Each of the companies are represented in Berlin and Brussels, his own interests? There are too many construction sites. “This policy has nothing.”
VDA President Bernhard Mattes has not spoken to the VW provoked conflict personally. Whether he can mediate in the crisis conversation this Wednesday, is open. It is clear that VW chief Diess Matt has “shown the instruments”, as in the case of a car maker. But Matt was “fine to go where it hurts,” said another VDA member. He had the “big picture” in mind and doing a “good Job”. A year after his assumption of office, which is also a fierce internal dispute over the alignment of the VDA went ahead, must be located to the President the fact that the German auto industry gives the international image of disunity – the Diesel crisis, the debate on the driving ban, limits to high emissions in the transport sector.
In Wolfsburg, Germany with the work of the VDA dissatisfied
In Wolfsburg, Germany with the work of the VDA, however, dissatisfied. Matt had to commit itself more clearly to the topic of electric mobility, the VW Manager. “He must have a vehement occur and the topic of electric mobility in the width of the population.” On Monday, VW had an internal strategy paper leakage, in the 23 pages will set out how the Funding framework should be developed for the electric mobility far into the year 2025. “Now the policy is what the industry needs to know,” says a VW competitor, would not all the points below to write, the “hardworking and clean the compilation” but not flatly rejects.
Volkswagen has now significantly more ambitious targets for the share of E-cars to its fleet of new Cars, however, is seen in a critical light. “The consensus was, as yet, the serious planning of an electric component from 15 to 25 percent by 2025,” says a competitor. Volkswagen now wants to establish in six years, at least 25 per cent and in 2030 is already at 40 percent.
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companies of the car manufacturers of other major. In a joint statement, the daily mirror, the German retailer Metro group, the energy suppliers Eon and Vattenfall, the fleet Manager Leaseplan and the Ingka Group (formerly the Ikea Group), the German policy to improve the policy framework for E-vehicles and the residue to other European countries to catch up. The companies are members of the Initiative, EV100, a Non-Profit Organisation “The Climate Group”.
