The eastern German automotive industry has called for the removal of barriers and more predictability in view of the difficult situation in the sector. From the perspective of the Automotive Cluster East Germany (ACOD), the use of electric vehicles must become more attractive and companies must be given more freedom.
The current economic and energy policy is unsettling the big players and pushing medium-sized and smaller companies to their limits, criticized ACOD Chairwoman Petra Peterhänsel at a congress in Dresden.
"We are calling on European and German decision-makers to be more open to technology, less regulation, stability and predictability when it comes to energy costs," she said. "This makes us resilient and ensures the market success of the East German automotive and supplier industry."
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) insisted on an end to technological restrictions on drive systems. "We must remain open to technology in order to lead the automotive state of Saxony into a successful future." The Free State wants to provide more support for suppliers with innovation funding. Kretschmer sees energy costs as the most pressing problem. "There is an urgent need to address the energy transition and reduce the price of electricity."
