
A Lifelong Journey in Automotive
I’ve been around cars my whole life. Engineering school, projects with OEMs, leading a top industry player for over a decade, collaborating with premium brands—even Formula 1. I’ve worked with German, Italian, British, French, American, and Japanese companies. If there’s one thing I can say with confidence: I’ve seen a lot.
Today, as Europe faces what’s called the “automotive crisis,” I see it as more than just a struggle for carmakers—it’s a mirror of Europe’s broader challenges.
Let’s start with a little-known fact: the EV revolution didn’t begin with Tesla. GM launched the EV1 in 1996. Tesla’s first model, the Roadster, was essentially a Lotus Elise with an electric powertrain. The real game-changer? The Model S.
Not because it was electric.
Because it gave customers what they were already used to from their smartphones:
• A fast, user-friendly interface.
• Over-the-air updates, no service visits needed.
• Advanced driving assistance (early versions of Autopilot).
Legacy OEMs scrambled to catch up, adding bigger screens and new features, but they missed the point. Customers wanted speed, usability, and reliability—qualities that smartphones set as the new standard. Why should my car take minutes to load traffic data when my phone does it instantly? If my phone acted like some car systems, I’d throw it out the window.
Europe’s big miss wasn’t about making EVs; it was about transitioning to software and user-first thinking. Efforts like VW’s Cariad aimed to fix this but couldn’t overcome the organizational culture and politics that stifled progress.
EV vs. ICE: What Customers Really Want
And here’s the kicker: it’s not about electric versus combustion engines. End users care about getting from A to B comfortably, reliably, and affordably. The propulsion system—whether EV, ICE, hybrid, or hydrogen—is secondary. Mass adoption hinges on meeting basic needs first.
The problem is, we’re forcing a transition to EVs without having the infrastructure or cost balance to support it. In Slovenia, charging an EV at a commercial station is now more expensive per kilometer than driving a diesel car. On top of that, battery concerns and rapid depreciation (a Mercedes EQS losing 60% of its value) erode customer trust.
The Unfolding Crisis: Slowing Sales & Layoffs
Meanwhile, Europe’s manufacturers face slowing sales, factory closures, and massive layoffs. VW is shutting plants in Germany, Nissan is cutting 9,000 jobs, Ford is reducing its European workforce, and Bosch is trimming 5,500 positions globally—3,800 of those in Germany alone. Yet little attention is given to the fact that VW sold EV factories in China because demand there plummeted.
Misplaced Blame on Chinese Competition
Blaming Chinese competition is short-sighted. Chinese automakers are agile, goal-driven, and backed by vast resources. Their cars are well-designed, improving in quality, and affordable. At this year’s EICMA, Keeway, a Chinese group, showcased 60 motorcycle models. Not 6, not 16—60. It’s a clear sign of their aggressive development pace.
This reminds me of the early ’90s when Hyundai’s Pony arrived in Europe. People laughed at its design. Today, Hyundai-Kia is a global giant. The same trajectory is unfolding with Chinese brands.
Adapt or Die
The real issue in Europe isn’t EV sales—it’s overcapacity, low productivity, slow innovation, and inflexible organizations. If EVs were the only issue, why aren’t manufacturers selling more ICE vehicles? Because the EU’s green transition penalizes them for not selling EVs, even when customers don’t want them or the infrastructure isn’t ready.
This isn’t sustainable.
Politicians need to align green goals with practical, customer-focused solutions, guided by physics and real-world usability.
And the industry? It must adapt—quickly. Flexibility, speed, and customer-first thinking are the only way forward. Without this, Europe risks losing its place in the global automotive landscape.