On October 14, the European Parliament hosted the event “Seizing Opportunities in e-mobility,” during which the “Opportunity35” campaign was launched, with the participation of the European Association for Electromobility (AVERE) and ChargeUp Europe.
The purpose of the event was to discuss how the European Union (EU) can seize the long-term opportunities of the eMobility transition, considering that the sector currently faces obstacles such as the slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) sales, cancelled investments in the supply chain, and mass layoffs.
In this regard, MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin stated, “I will fight to uphold what was established in the Green Deal. I want us not only to be on the defensive, but also to be proactive.”
The truth is that, in a year of headwinds, EU leaders must double down on their commitment to 2035 and chart the path forward to ensure Europe maintains its position of global leadership.
“The purpose of our discussion is how we move from a technology that has served us for over 100 years to a new one, which is the electric engine,” Pellerin-Carlin explained.
The reason the MEP defends this position is that, according to him, the eMobility transition offers various long-term opportunities, of which he highlights four.
One of them is related to energy security.
“The geopolitical powers that benefit from Europeans consuming more and more oil are Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Russian Federation. They are not our best friends,” he acknowledged.
For example, Europe buys oil from Russia at around 500 million euros per month.
“If we had political decisions to reduce its consumption, we would send a signal to the market that the future demand for oil will be lower,” the MEP argued.
He continued, “This would cause a drop in the price of oil on the global market, and therefore, the revenues Vladimir Putin uses to wage war in Ukraine would be reduced.”
Another opportunity created by electromobility relates to Europe’s industrial future.
“A major European car manufacturer told us that we are a generation behind China when it comes to electric cars,” Pellerin-Carlin noted.
“Let’s be clear, we are lagging behind and have underestimated the Chinese, who have gained a significant advantage in both the car and electric engine,” he lamented.
In this regard, the MEP recognizes the need to “accelerate” to ensure Europe remains competitive in the global economy.
“Everyone knows the importance of the automotive industry for our jobs,” he affirmed.
Moreover, he highlighted the importance of electric cars for social justice, given that this technology results in cost savings for consumers.
“We have a major divide in Europe between people living in big cities like Brussels, Paris, or Berlin, and those from rural areas like me,” Pellerin-Carlin explained.
He added, “How can we build a system that increases their purchasing power? Part of the solution is electromobility, because if they need to drive 100 kilometres a day, it will be cheaper to do so with an electric car.”
Lastly, it is important to mention climate change.
“The main debate we are having is about CO2 standards for cars, because one of the drawbacks of the internal combustion engine is that it emits too much CO2 into the atmosphere,” the MEP explained.
He illustrated this by saying, “The fact that schools in Sicily are closing in spring due to water shortages is a consequence of climate change and, therefore, also an indirect result of the emissions from cars produced over the past few decades.”
“False” Choice to Delay the Transition to Electric Vehicles
During this session at the European Parliament, Lucie Mattera, Secretary General at ChargeUp Europe, and Chris Heron, Secretary General of AVERE, also shared their perspectives.
In line with Pellerin-Carlin’s statements, Heron expressed:
“There is no doubt that by 2035 there are opportunities to seize, but we also know there is a discussion within the European Parliament, and elsewhere, to put a false choice on the table in order to delay the transition to EVs.”
He continued: “The only choice we can make is to stay the course toward 2035, tackling these obstacles together, because we know Europe can still seize an electric mobility future and its economic potential.”
In this regard, the AVERE representative referenced a study McKinsey published two weeks ago, which analyzes the economic potential of the automotive sector in the region.
The report highlights that if electric mobility were fully leveraged, Europe could achieve an added value of 2.2 trillion euros in the automotive sector by 2035, a 17% increase compared to today.
How can this be achieved?
Heron outlined four key actions: keeping EV manufacturers strong during the transition, attracting investments from new global market players, securing a domestic battery supply chain, and capitalizing on digitalization opportunities.
Considering this, Heron acknowledged that “easing up on the targets will have serious and lasting consequences” and “will mean handing over leadership to others.”
“The McKinsey study argues that if we fail to close the gap with China and capture the benefits, there is a risk of losing 25% of our market share in the automotive value chain,” he noted.
The truth is that while Europe is “juggling,” China is not slowing down: currently, 50% of car sales there are electric or hybrid.
Moreover, the AVERE representative remarked that “diverting investment away from the ecosystem goes against other strategic initiatives.”
It’s worth noting that ChargeUp Europe conducted research projecting that if ambitions slow down, 20% fewer jobs will be created by 2035.
“If we look at two components of the electric mobility ecosystem, namely EV charging and battery manufacturing, Europe is on track to create over 220,000 jobs related to the former and 2,000 to the latter,” Lucie Mattera pointed out.
She added: “We must and can establish a robust European automotive value chain by 2035 and beyond, ensuring that electrification remains a driver of growth and employment in an industry that today is a strong provider of both. The EU should not be easing up.”
As a final message, Mattera urged the sector to lend its support to “fully unlock” Opportunity 35.
Does Europe Have a Battery Investment Crisis?
Does Europe have a crisis in electric vehicle sales?
“Spoiler: no, it doesn’t,” acknowledges Mattera.
The truth is that data shows there was only a “bump in the road” in the first half of the year.
In fact, “strong sales” are expected in 2025 with the introduction of new electric models.
“We are asking for support to avoid a panic reaction to something that is temporary,” said the ChargeUp Europe representative.
Now, does Europe have a battery investment crisis?
“The answer is yes,” lamented the Secretary General of AVERE.
This year alone, 300 gigawatt hours of investments in the entire battery supply chain were delayed.
Even European “champions” like Northvolt are under pressure.
However, Heron explained that this can be resolved.
“We need to turn to Thomas (Pellerin-Carlin) and his colleagues in the European Parliament,” he said.
He continued: “It’s not just about acknowledging these issues, but also about presenting solutions. What we need is a full European effort to scale up this battery supply chain over the next two years.”
In summary, it’s not only about providing certainty to these companies but also about “delivering an industrial policy to level the playing field.”
