Expert Voices on the IAA Mobility 2023

The car is still a highly attractive product. It attracts the masses. IAA Mobility 2023, the formerly most important car trade show which reinvented itself in 2021, was a big success. The new concept connected leading industry players with the population of Munich, visitors, and guests coming to the “Open Spaces” to experience cars and mobility solutions in the middle of the city. With more than 500,000 visitors, a plus of 100,000 compared to 2021 came to be part of this currently worldwide unique concept of both being a car & mobility and consumer & trade fair.

Looking at what dominated the public debate, clearly the presence of Chinese carmakers and suppliers and their future position in the European (and more specifically German) market was at the top of it – which is no surprise as close to 40% of the exhibitors came from China. With the World New Energy Vehicle Congress (WNEVC), China’s leading conference for e-mobility for the first time took place outside of China – and chose the IAA as venue. With Mercedes, Volkswagen, and BMW CEOs all attending, including president of VDA (German Automotive Industry Association), the signal is clear: China as a tech- and business-partner and market for the German Automotive Industry has become even more important to jointly push the pace in transitioning to electric mobility.

There is no doubt that the German carmakers and suppliers investing more than EUR250bn until 2027 in R&D will play a key role in the future of mobility – reaching from highly appealing brands and products to innovative technologies and smart mobility solutions. Because one thing is for sure in this race: they are more than keen to prove their competitiveness and their power to successfully reinvent themselves to be ready for every thinkable mobility scenario.