Economic Forum: The Future of Mobility (by invitation only)

The automotive industry accounts for almost 10% of the Czech GDP, which makes it one of the key sectors of the Czech economy in the long term. In recent years, however, we have witnessed significant changes due to the increase in regulation of the sector. There is a gradual shift from internal combustion engines to electromobility. This trend has been definitively confirmed by the recent vote of the European Parliament, which agreed to sell only zero-emission vehicles from 2035. Czech car manufacturers will therefore have to significantly transform their production over the next few years to maintain their current position.

The current challenges of electromobility are already being fully discussed in the context of the future of mobility. The number of electric vehicles is gradually increasing in the Czech Republic, but the development is rather slow compared to other countries. This is significantly influenced by the lack of infrastructure and the high purchase price of electric cars.

However, the trend towards electric mobility may in turn accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility. In this context, the new Euro 7 standard, which, if introduced, would drastically reduce emissions from cars, is illustrative. However, Czech manufacturers are concerned that the standard may make the transition to electromobility more difficult and, in addition, trigger a wave of redundancies in the automotive industry.

What is preventing the faster development of electromobility? How is the Czech Republic preparing for the transition away from internal combustion engines? What will this step mean for the automotive industry? What requirements does the Euro 7 standard bring and do manufacturers have a chance to meet its requirements by 2025?