cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20506285
The dependence of the machinery sector on car production and the consequence of economic simplification due to EV production being simpler was a problem known since at least the 1990s, if not since the 1880s, but little was done during the Merkel governments to diversify beyond R&D, which products were simply exported or were directed towards car production productivity (car production per worker or material).
And yet, as recent as ~2018, I read an article in a German metallurgy trade magazine about hydrogen cars and the amazing Fertigungstiefe (“depth of production”) that could be achieved in that sector. In other words, they tried to spin the fact that hydrogen cars are complicated, expensive POS’s as a positive: It would mean a lot of German labor would be needed for them, nevermind that nobody in their right mind would buy these things. Even right now, the wider German populace hasn’t quite understood that hydrogen cars will not materialize, ever.
[Addendum: Conveniently, the Greens are in the government now to serve as scapegoats for this industry that first made itself majority-dependent on the Chinese market and then failed to watch as China iterated on their manufacturing processes, started focused research on batteries and electric motors, and finally enacted legislation outmode ICE cars.]
