Daimler’s works council warns exclusive focus on battery cars akin to “Fukushima reaction”

An exclusive focus on supporting the development of battery electric mobility would be a risky strategy for German carmaker Daimler as it neglects other promising technologies that would then be dominated by competitors, Daimler’s works council head said in a dpa news agency article  carried by Focus Online. “We now see a hectic reaction that resembles what happened after Fukushima in the energy sector,” Michael Häberle said, pointing to the German government’s 2011 decision to accelerate the phase-out of nuclear power in reaction to the nuclear disaster in Japan, which has been criticised by observers for opting for symbolism over pragmatism. Häberle said focusing on batteries for e-cars risked losing valuable know-how about hydrogen fuel cells.

A major strategy shift by Germany’s biggest carmaker Volkswagen towards battery e-cars has led to a row within the country’s car industry in recent weeks, with other carmakers and industry suppliers saying Volkswagen’s move would undermine key strengths of German manufacturers. The dispute within the carmakers’ association VDA was eventually settled by an agreement to focus on battery electric and hybrid cars rather than fuel cells.