It has been a grand illusion of green minds that, driven by e-mobility euphoria, millions of Germans would switch from gasoline and diesel cars to e-cars. This has not happened. To the contrary: in the first seven months of 2024, fully 34% of those who bought an e-car returned it to the dealership, and switched back to gasoline or diesel automobiles. The lack of a functioning countrywide grid of fast-charging stations is one of the main reasons why e-cars don’t really sell in Germany, the high price being another reason. This is one problem.
The larger issue, however, is that the German economy is plummeting after the near-elimination of affordable energy, and Germans no longer earn enough money to buy a new car every three or four years, as the automakers would like them to do. Volkswagen (VW) has suffered badly from this, selling 500,000 fewer cars in the first seven months of 2024. September has been the worst month, with VW’s net profits down by a spectacular 64%. The Brussels plant of VW subsidiary Audi, which employs 3,000 workers on the production of the Q8 e-tron electric SUV, will be closed. Management made that decision already weeks ago. The VW plant in Zwickau, also focused on the production of e-cars, may close as well. For those who keep their jobs, the management demands accepting a 10% wage cut.
