Why we mustn’t depend on China for battery – Daimler Truck chief

 

BERLIN – Daimler Truck boss Martin Daum is worried about China’s dominance in battery technology and Germany’s extremely high dependence in China, the manager told dpa.

Producing energy from hydrogen is a better alternative because it allows Germany to be independent of any single country, he said. Daum’s company wants to sell trucks that use hydrogen-based fuel cells later this year.

“Chinese companies already have the patents, the preliminary products and the raw materials,” Daum said, adding that the world market is 80% dominated by China.

“I think it is always difficult when you are dependent on a single country.”
Daum said Daimler truck will set up its own battery production “albeit a bit later than the passenger car companies.”

But even with working with other companies, Chinese patents would be behind the technology. And even if Daimler produces the batteries, it is dependent on a whole supply chain, he pointed out.

“We will never be energy self-sufficient,” Daum said. “Germany has always imported a large part of its energy needs – why should that suddenly be different with green energy?” he said.

“Hydrogen can be obtained from many sources,” he said, adding that with hydrogen technology and energy generation, “we would be independent of any single country.”
Daimler Truck wants to sell series-produced vehicles with hydrogen-based fuel cell propulsion in the second half of this decade.