Why France buffers Brussels on electricity
The electric car risks redesigning the market: the EU must face US protectionist measures and Chinese boldness, which is why France spurs Brussels for common measures to support industry
"We have to wake up." The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron , does not mince words in an interview with Les Echos . “Europe must prepare a strong response and act very quickly. Americans are buying American and are pursuing a very aggressive public aid strategy. The Chinese are closing the market. We cannot be the only space – the most virtuous from a climatic point of view – to believe that there cannot be European preferences ”.
The Paris Auto Show well photographs the European desertification – many, in fact, the defections of historic houses – and at the same time immortalizes the ongoing Chinese boarding: several made in China brands are preparing to debut in the Old Continent. This is why Macron speaks of the need to establish "strong support for the automotive industry", along the lines of the recent measures introduced in the United States and therefore of a protectionist nature ( we talked about it here ) "an opportunity", says the tenant of the Elisha "to revive" the car industry and achieve the "climate goals".
The same agitation transpires from the statements of the Minister for Economy Bruno Le Maire who, with regard to US protectionist policies and Chinese aggressive moves, sets an agenda: "Either you can get them to change their mind or there is no reason why France and Europe do not do the same. For the sake of the environment and the economy ". “We cannot lose even a day, because every lost day is a lost market, and the lost markets are the most difficult to regain”, concluded the minister with peremptory terms.
France, now that Germany has flat tires due to Russia that has closed the gas taps (for this reason VW is already thinking of reallocating productivity to other countries ) intends to churn out 1 million electric in 2027 and 2 million by 2030, thanks to demand support policies, such as the increase of the ecological bonus from 6 thousand to 7 thousand euros, "for half of the families, the most modest" and a lease of 100 euros per month, already announced by Macron : "We are working on the technical details of this provision, especially to define the times").
The state is there. The automotive industry, it seems, too, at least judging by the bombastic statements of Carlos Tavares who confirmed that Stellantis is an increasingly French and less Italian reality: "Our commitment to carbon neutrality in 2038, ahead of all our competitors , is for the benefit of France where we are and will continue to be undoubtedly the commercial and industrial reference player with 12 electric models produced with pride and passion by our employees in our 12 assembly and component factories ", declared the Group's number 1 .
“By choosing to produce the future Peugeot e-308 and e-408 at our Mulhouse site, Stellantis confirms that it is giving each of its French industrial sites a future for the 'post-combustion era', thanks to a forward-looking approach. based on co-construction with our social partners. " Valeo CEO Christophe Perrat echoed him , saying: "We need to accelerate the production of electric cars in Europe, in order to obtain those economies of scale that allow us to compete with Chinese manufacturers, who have aimed before us and who can count on a huge domestic market ".
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/perche-la-francia-tampona-bruxelles-sullelettrico/ on Wed, 19 Oct 2022 04:43:35 +0000.