Rising electricity prices
The auto industry fears for the future of electric cars
08/26/2022, 10:10 p.m
In the shadow of new gas price records, there is growing concern that electricity prices will also rise sharply. The automotive industry fears for the future of electric cars and is demanding import contracts with other countries. Meanwhile, the left wants to ban the export.
The President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Hildegard Müller, has called for more energy cooperation so that the lack of electricity and high electricity costs do not slow down e-mobility in Germany. Müller told the television station “Welt”: “The electricity costs worry us. That will be the next big issue.” It will very likely also be scarce with electricity, so you have to work with foresight.
In Germany alone, it would not be possible to produce the electricity required for e-mobility, said Müller. Therefore, more international energy cooperation is necessary: ”That’s why we need raw material and energy partnerships that protect us.” Areas would now be distributed worldwide in Africa, in Latin America and in many other regions. “And we need a more committed trade and energy foreign policy than is currently the case.” According to Müller, “tough contracts have to be concluded, we have to be quick in trade agreements”.
The left wants to curb electricity exports to France
In view of the sharp rise in energy prices, the left had suspended German electricity exports to other EU countries. “We need a moratorium on electricity exports from Germany to other European countries,” said Dietmar Bartsch, co-group leader of the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “It is difficult to explain to the citizens why the need to save and skyrocketing prices should apply in this country when electricity is exported in large quantities at the same time,” he criticized. “The fact that gas is also used for this is not conveyable.”
It is absurd “if countries like France only delay the energy transition, then consumers in this country foot the bill, while at the same time electricity prices in Germany are the highest in the EU,” said Bartsch.
France and Germany both import electricity from each other. For several months, however, electricity imports to France have grown significantly and are significantly higher than French exports to Germany. According to the Zukunft Gas association, this imbalance is one of the reasons for the increase in electricity production from gas in July.