On September 5 and 6, the future of the automotive industry will be discussed at a conference organized by Mobinov. The association, which brings together car factories, parts and trade, is concerned about the results of the energy, digital and demographic transition. and doesn’t want Portugal to be left behind.

In an IVF interview President Mobinov asks the state to help companies attract new investments For the country. Jorge Rosa also highlights the need to develop a sector that directly employs 90,000 people, accounts for 7.4% of GDP and generates an annual turnover of 15 billion euros, “of which 99% is exported.”

He recently said that “in the short and medium term, we will have the sector that the state allows us.” think that cluster Is the car well received in Portugal?

All in all, the automotive sector has received a lot of attention from the Portuguese government and was heard whenever he asked. Of course, the sector wanted more: it needs to scale and another dynamic. Of course, requires state and government support. That’s why we always pay more attention to lenders.

What kind of automotive sector can we have with and without state financial support? What will be the main differences?

Problems aheadwith the energy, digital, environmental and demographic transition, in addition to the need to have people in quality and quantity huge and require special attention from the state. Our industry needs this support.

In addition to financial support, which is very important in a number of areas, I would say that there is promotion of the sector outside and among the main automakers. The role of the state is also very important here. Portugal needs to make itself known with car manufacturers and it should be part of the sourcing strategy that is rethinking the entire value chain today in the face of the challenges that the recent disruption of war has brought to the sector. Portugal sees in this, in our opinion, an excellent opportunity, being located in Europe, being a country relatively close to the center of the continent and next to the second European car manufacturer (Spain). Approval abroad relies heavily on companies to present themselves to manufacturers, but it also lacks government support.

This is, for example, what has already been done this year at the trade fair in Hannover., where there were many producers and where the Portuguese government has clearly shown support for the sector. These kinds of actions and others even more powerful can promote our industry abroad to scale up domestically.

Portugal must assert itself with car manufacturers and must be part of the brand supply strategies that are today rethinking the entire value chain in the face of the challenges that the recent disruption of the war has brought to the sector.

Did the presence of Portugal influence Hannover Messe?

The reactions we have received from participating companies are very pleasing because they have been approached many times. But we still don’t have concrete data on already closed deals.

The emergence of a new car plant is also always an industry ambition. and here the government plays a fundamental role in attracting new investment. However, installed capacity in Europe exceeds demand. These are considerations that must be taken into account by manufacturers.

The lithium cycle is also important to us: Batteries are a fundamental component and will be critical to the future of the automotive industry in the short term.. After the installation of lithium, a discussion arose about the lithium cycle and the possibility of extracting it, as well as the possibility of producing elements in Portugal for supply to strong markets such as Spain, which would be a very important factor for the development of a new area in which we will inevitably have to deal.

We are approaching the end of 2022 and there are no plans to mass-produce an electric car in Portugal yet. Are we in danger of falling behind in the automotive industry?

The risk naturally exists. AT cluster we do not have information about every car factory in Portugal, but we know that everyone is working to get electric models in Portugal and I believe it will. Each of the installed plants will have an electrical solution in the very near future, I have no doubt about this, although this has not been officially reported.

With the transition of the automotive industry, are there conditions for the creation of new jobs, or is it a priority to preserve existing ones?

The main priority is to keep jobs, but we want it to be able to grow. Having about 8% of Portugal’s GDP would be very important.

Batteries are a fundamental component and will be critical to the future of the automotive industry in the short term. After the installation of lithium, a discussion arose about the lithium cycle and the possibility of extracting it, as well as the possibility of producing elements in Portugal for supply to strong markets such as Spain, which would be a very important factor for the development of a new field in which we will inevitably have to deal with

Is it possible to save a job if fewer parts are required to produce new cars?

This is true, but there are other possibilities, such as the lithium cycle. But a car will always have tires, a chassis, stamped parts, upholstery… we are all naturally concerned, but transitions are both a risk and an opportunity. We must be able to seize opportunities, and I am sure that we are working in this direction.

What will be the role of the car in the future of society, given, for example, restrictions on access to cities?

Clearly, cars, which account for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, are always targeted. The attempt to reduce the number of cars worries everyone who runs large cities. Of course there is a risk of reduction [de produção] because mobility in cities will increasingly be carried out using public transport. But so far there is no research showing a massive reduction in the number of cars in cities. If yes, then the main reduction in the number of cars will be in Europe.

Can hydrogen be used in modern internal combustion vehicles while reusing existing fleets?

There are studies in this direction and there are technical possibilities, although there is still little maturity. Hydrogen as a fuel is ideal for long-distance transportation. and there will be the next passage on the tram.

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