Merkel renews call for European battery cell production
German chancellor Angela Merkel wants to make battery cell production a 鈥strategic European development鈥, she said during a speech at an event on e-mobility in Berlin. 鈥淪omeone like me, who once studied physics, is incredibly sad that we cannot produce battery cells in the country of the founding fathers of electrochemistry and that the whole of Europe cannot do that either.鈥 In this regard, Europe is still dependent on other parts of the world. 鈥淚 am not sure whether it鈥檚 a good idea to only be dependent on China or Asia,鈥 she said and assured that Germany will be prepared to participate in a European alliance. Another concern about dependency regards the 鈥渆ntire digital infrastructure鈥, she said, according to the report: 鈥淭wo of the key value-adding features of the future car are no longer in the sole hands of Germany. This means that there is currently no closed value chain.鈥
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article Chinese-German battery cell deal key step for mobility transition.