For Poland, this is a moment of decision
For most EU countries, changes in the automotive market related to the gradual exclusion of cars with combustion engines carry a greater risk than for Poland. Our country is in the second half of the ranking of EU countries in terms of share in production related to combustion engines in the automotive industry – these are the main conclusions from the latest report of the WiseEuropa think tank for the T&E organization promoting clean transport – we read “DGP”
– For Poland, this is a moment of decision. We can use electromobility to enter the entire production chain – from batteries and recycling to research and development – and give a new development path to regions in transition. Without this, Poland will become a subcontractor of other people’s strategies – says “DGP” – Maciej Bukowski, president of WiseEuropa and author of the report.
Fewer jobs?
According to “DGP”, the report shows that after the development of electromobility will most likely result in fewer jobs, because the electric drive consists of up to 50-70 percent. fewer parts than for a combustion engine, and in modernized and in newly built plants, production will be more automated.
To take advantage of the opportunities, “strong support” for the sector will be necessary, which should include, among others: grants and loans supporting the modernization of existing production plants and incentives to introduce new products to the market. The recommended solutions include: conditioning access to public aid, e.g. in the form of research and development projects, jobs for specialists, or involving local companies, and the widest possible coordination of policies at the EU level in order to avoid a subsidy race – says Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, director of the Polish T&E office, in “DGP”.
Fierce competition for green industries
According to Bartłomiej Orł from the Project Tempo think tank, competition for green industries, including the electromobility sector, will be much fiercer than for the traditional automotive industry.
– We already have clear signs of this: the transfer of battery production from Lower Silesia to Michigan, where attractive state subsidies were offered, or the method of calculating the carbon footprint of batteries pushed by the French, deadly to the competitiveness of Polish factories. Moreover, the basic key to competitive success will be cheap and clean energy – much more than wages – and this one in Poland it is neither clean nor cheap – says the “DGP” interlocutor.
