00:00The EU is planning on scaling back its 2035 combustion engine ban and workers at Germany's largest auto supplier, Schaeffler, are breathing a sigh of relief.
00:09Instead of a full 100% cut in CO2 emissions for new cars, the target is now 90%.
00:14And this fear isn't isolated. The auto industry accounts for 7% of EU GDP, 170 billion euros in exports,
00:30and nearly 14 million jobs. Countries want to reduce emissions with EVs, but they also want to protect jobs.
00:36At Schaeffler, the original EU plan for EV-only sales by 2035 was seen as unrealistic.
00:43What we see actually in the year 2026, the end customers are not buying as many battery electric cars in Europe as anticipated.
00:51So missing infrastructure, no conviction about the technology, and then banning one of the key technologies end customers would accept.
00:58We regard it as extremely critical as of today.
01:01Schaeffler already makes electric motors, but its core business is still combustion engine parts.
01:06The EU listened to concerns, and the 2035 combustion engine ban is now off the table.
01:12In Bühle at least, the mayor hopes the town can swerve major job losses for the workers who keep the German auto industry running.
