"I am convinced that e-mobility will prevail in the passenger car market"
How do you see the present and future of e-mobility and what role do funding programs play?
Niklas Haupt: “When it comes to sustainability and future technology, many good discussions have been held on e-mobility. We are on the right track. However, when I look at the current registration figures and the market for e-vehicles in Germany, demand in August in particular has fallen significantly compared to the previous year. In my view, this is mainly due to the expiring funding programs. When it comes to sales figures, this is of course an important issue. As a market researcher, I consider emission-free technology to be more sustainable than many alternatives. I am convinced that e-mobility will prevail in the passenger car market."
How do you see the development and prospects for companies when it comes to e-mobility?
Niklas Haupt: “Many companies are already going down this route. But it's a question of cost. To be honest, I'm not sure whether I would demand new subsidies politically. This was certainly the right approach at the beginning. We can see the result now in the used car market. If I provide funding at the beginning, then I will have a harder time in a second step, especially at the beginning of a technology. In my view, funding as an incentive is more the task of manufacturers and banks. This is similar for fleet vehicles as it is for private cars. With appealing actions, companies can be targeted, supported and promoted. Regardless of this, companies will have to rely more on e-mobility in the future anyway in order to avoid the CO2 penalty.”
Is e-mobility a viable prospect for truck drives in the future?
Niklas Haupt: “Ensuring the necessary infrastructure for truck and heavy-duty transport is a much more complex issue than for passenger cars. In particular, the continuing rise in electricity costs plays a crucial role. However, the market as a whole needs much more transparency here to promote competition.”
Which alternative fuels are options for sustainable mobility?
Niklas Haupt: “For me, that's definitely hydrogen. I don't think much of the discussions about the synthetic fuel ‘E-Fuel’. Most experts who look at the topic in detail agree that this is not an efficient approach. And now is not the right time to discuss this topic either. Because there are currently other topics in Germany that are much more important.”
The picture
About the person: Niklas Haupt is a market researcher, trend researcher and mobility expert. He is the founder and managing director of MiiOS GmbH in Schwaig near Nuremberg. MiiOS's areas of expertise include market research, analytics, management, IT, consulting, training, and the development and management of network business models.
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