When Audi CEO Markus Duesmann remarked at a symposium where he was a speaker that “the industry must focus on electric vehicles as a solution for personal travel,” he left out the other electrified solutions, including those incorporating plug-in hybrid mechanics, he did not mince words (PHEV).
This position of Audi’s CEO, which can only be agreed upon by the Volkswagen Group’s leadership, looks to be in perfect alignment with the German government’s recent announcement. However, it is not in the best interests of other German companies, such as BMW and Mercedes, which are more reliant on PHEV sales. “The German auto industry must focus its efforts on electric propulsion,” Duesmann said, “since huge expenditures are required to develop a sufficient network of charging stations.”
Markus Duesmann said at the Ludwing Erhard Summit that he disagrees with subsidies being granted to fossil fuels, gasoline, and diesel so that they are not as penalized as a result of the crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The German executive was referring to the 9 billion euros that would be distributed among all European Union countries in order to offset the rise in oil prices.
“It is a mistake to assist make fuels that power automobiles with combustion engines more inexpensive,” Audi’s CEO remarked, instead suggesting that “this horrible conflict be used as a catalyst for the required shift to renewable energy.” “Green energy is still a precious resource, therefore we must utilize it as effectively as possible,” said a spokesman of the four-ringed brand, which is owned by Volkswagen AG. Furthermore, electric mobility is the most cost-effective mode of transportation.”
This viewpoint contrasts with that of Porsche, a company that consistently reports significant profits – not in absolute terms, but in percentages, given to its tiny size – in part thanks to the usage of chassis and mechanics sponsored in part by Audi and the Volkswagen Group. Porsche is one of the firms pushing for the European Union to approve hydrogen as a fuel for combustion engines instead of gasoline in order to retain the traditional engines in production, which provide so much profit to traditional businesses. Despite the fact that its combustion releases pollutants into the atmosphere, it continues to be used.
