Europe Lags 20 Years Behind China in EV Battery Development

KatadataOTO – Competition between manufacturers Europe and China in the development of electric cars can no longer be avoided. However, China is claimed to be advancing further.

Like for the development of batteries Electric Vehicle (EV). The Blue Continent is said to be unable to catch up.

"In the battery sector, Europe is 20 years behind China," said Ferdinand Dudenhoffer, a German automotive expert, quoting Carnewschina on Friday (30/01).

The man nicknamed 'Automotive Pope' stated that cooperation with Chinese energy-storage manufacturers is the most sensible option.

Photo: Exclusive

This is so that BMW, Mercedes-Benz up to Porsche can be competitive in the EV market, and not fall behind products from BYD, Chery, Geely and friends.

Furthermore, it is stated that the technology gap creates a situation where 70 percent of EV batteries sold in Europe in 2025 will be supplied by Chinese companies.

In addition, battery manufacturers from the Bamboo Curtain country offer many advantages, including production costs claimed to be 30 percent lower.

Moreover, the development cycle of Chinese energy-storage is about 50 percent shorter compared to European companies.

Then the Chinese battery giants, namely CATL and Gotion High-Tech, have gone further than merely supplying components.

They are actively building partnerships with European manufacturers. For example, the joint venture of CATL with BMW has already started production in Germany.

Then the BYD partnership with Stellantis to develop low-cost lithium iron phosphate batteries has entered mass production.

China Gains Strength

Dudenhoffer explained that the gap between Chinese and European manufacturers extends to several other fields.

"Chinese companies in areas such as autonomous driving and smart cockpits, like QCraft, Horizon Robotics, Xiaomi up to Huawei, lead this trend and are not dominated by European and American manufacturers," he emphasized.

Photo: MG

For information, according to data from the International Energy Agency, China can control 75 percent of global battery production capacity.

"If European car manufacturers continue to rely on an inefficient local supply chain, they will completely miss the transition opportunity," concluded Dudenhoffer.

Dudenhoffer suggests that partnerships with Chinese and European companies should be maintained, as they can bring positive impacts.