fka GmbH and Roland Berger GmbH have published a new issue of their E-mobility Index. The index—now in its tenth year—facilitates a comparison of competitive positions of the relevant automotive nations (the US, Germany, China, France, Italy, Japan and South Korea) in the field of e-mobility, based on an objective assessment of those countries in three key areas: technology, market and industry.

Besides an updated comparison of the competitive positions, a focus of this issue is on the market effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the developments in emissions legislation, especially in Europe. In this context, the purchasing incentives of individual states are highlighted as well as potential changes to the legal regulations that will make it more difficult for OEMs to comply with them in the future.

The key takeaways from the E-Mobility Index 2021 are:

• Overall, China retains its competitive lead for the second year in a row. The United States, last year in number two position, drops to fourth place due to its weak market figures compared to other nations, with Germany now in second place and France in third.

  
  

• While COVID-19 has had a negative impact on vehicle markets around the world, sales of electric vehicles (xEVs) have grown strongly, especially in Europe.

• Increased sales volumes in Europe are to a large extent due to the purchase incentives contained in stimulus packages.

• Thanks to increased penetration rates for xEVs, vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) now have a realistic chance of meeting the European emission targets for 2021. However, the EU Commission is considering tightening emission limits for new vehicles by 2030.

• Automotive OEMs and suppliers must prepare themselves for additional regulation in the area of real consumption data and emissions across the entire vehicle lifecycle.

COVID-19 has had a major negative impact on the automotive industry as a whole. But its effect on electric mobility has been the reverse, with sales volumes burgeoning thanks to government stimulus packages, particularly in Europe. With European penetration rates of up to 20.5 percent in December 2020, the trend towards electrification now appears to be unstoppable.

—E-mobility Index