Industrial location Austria under massive pressure “

And yet it makes up Klaus von Moltke Managing Director of the engine plant in Steyr. “Austria’s industrial location is under massive pressure, it has lost competitiveness.” The reason are the High energy prices and wage costs At the same time increased investments (562 million in Steyr in the previous year alone) as a result of the transformation to CO2-neutral drives. Wages have increased by 30 percent in the past three years. “It can’t go on like this.”

Alarming signal

From Moltke this leads to “Compromise friendliness” the decision -maker. “I appreciate that in Austrian culture, but not at the price of losing competitiveness.” He appeals to the new federal government to improve the framework conditions for the economy, for example in labor law. This affects not only BMW, but also the Supplier. “We are confronted with a variety of bankruptcies and delivery bottlenecks every day. That is a very alarming signal. ”

At e-cars, BMW is number two in Austria and was able to in the segment last year Admission plus of 24 percent, while the overall market declined by 6.3 percent. Alexander Bamberger, CEO of BMW Austria, justifies this with empty funding on the private market, on which BMW only depends on one third.

To the rumbled deletion of the CO2 penalties For the auto industry, von Moltke says: “Although we have reached the CO2 goals every year so far, this is a step into the correct direction.. ” Both bosses speak for Technology openness from, whereby every form of drive type should be supported, also alternative fuels and hydrogen. BMW 2028 wants to launch the first hydrogen vehicle.

In addition, incentives for consumption would have to be created to bring buyers towards e-mobility, adds Bamberger. In addition, the expansion of the Chargingto take consumers. With the so -called “New class”who debuts the IAA in Munich in autumn, is intended to increase the range by 30 percent and the charging duration decreases for the same size. The engines will come from Steyr – in the longer term up to 600,000 pieces per year. The pre -series production started in the autumn of the previous year.

Compensate for US tariffs

In total, BMW Steyr produced shortly last year 1.2 million units Almost at the previous year’s level. Over 22 percent of which were diesel engines. A quarter of the overall production went to the US plant in Spartanburg. Increased US tariffs on imports could have a short-term effect on the work, due to the global deliveries, “but we can flexible set up and over compensate for other markets“.

According to Bamberger, sales in Austria also develop positively at the beginning of the year. As in the previous year, X1, EX1, I4 and i5 are the most sought -after models, more than every second vehicle sold is already (part) electrified. “We have an electrical offer in every segment,” explains Bamberger.