Technical article
The Zero Hour of the Automotive Industry
How far has the industry come in terms of climate protection, regulatory requirements, and electric mobility?
For decades, the automotive industry has been one of the most important economic sectors in Germany and throughout Europe. It ensures personal mobility, safeguards jobs, and provides a powerful impetus for growth and innovation. As one of the flagship sectors of the German economy, however, it is also at the center of other debates—most notably on the topic of sustainability. In this regard, the automotive industry has already reached a critical juncture.
Public expectations are rising dramatically. So is political pressure. Few economic sectors are considered as critical to climate protection as the automotive industry. But what does this lever actually look like? How far has the industry really come? And what will it be able to achieve—or even be required to achieve—in the future? It is precisely these questions that Nils Lauer-Neff and Patrick Dohle of the management consulting firm Kemény Boehme & Company (KBC) have examined in detail in their article “The Zero Hour of the Automotive Industry.”
The white paper "The Zero Hour of the Automotive Industry" addresses the following
We begin by providing an overview of the climate policy context. We then explain why the automotive industry plays a central role in the area of sustainability. Next, we examine the legal targets that automakers must meet by 2020/21 and the extent to which these have been met so far. In this context, it is also interesting to examine the levers manufacturers have at their disposal to avoid potential fines for failing to meet targets. Finally, we offer some food for thought on how the momentum around sustainability issues in the automotive industry could be sustained.
