Prague The world is changing. Farewell to car internal combustion engines and the transition to electric motors is gaining momentum. The Czechia must not stay away. One of the priorities is to have the production of electric batteries in its territory. “This is crucial for a country that is so dependent on the automotive industry,” says Thomas Auto Schäfer, the highest head of Škoda Auto, in an interview with Lidovky.cz. The parent group Volkswagen wants to build a total of six so-called gigafactory.
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The Czechia is one of the interested parties, the competition from other countries is strong. “In Spain, industry, producers and distributors of energy and the government have joined forces and put together a plan to electrify the country in the future, to build factories for the production of batteries, simply to transform. This is how we must do it quickly in the Czech Republic as well, ”emphasizes Schäfer. He adds that the production of electric batteries is an asset of the future, which many countries are striving for.
Another necessity, according to the head of the most important Czech company, is state support for electromobility. Škoda is negotiating it with the government.
Lidovky.cz: Since August, you have been the head of the most important Czech company. Before that, you lived in South Africa for many years and in recent years managed the activities of the Volkswagen Group. How do you like it in the Czech Republic?
The Czechia is amazing. I met him as early as 1989, shortly before the Velvet Revolution, when we spent a full fortnight here as students on a school trip. The memory of those two weeks has accompanied me basically my whole life, because I really liked it here then. And then I was here a few times for two or three days, on business trips to Škoda and the like. Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I absolutely like the Czech mentality, the joy of life, humor and the art of not taking oneself very seriously. I also like Czech beer. So I feel great here, even though it’s a little cold for my taste right now. But I’ve been here this summer and it was really great.
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