Photo: Wang Jing | Dreamstime.com
Deutsche Bahn's planned purchase of around 700 electric buses from Chinese manufacturer BYD has angered the Railway and Transport Union (EVG), which promises to challenge the decision in the company's supervisory board, DerSpiegel writes.
Union boss Martin Burkert called the move “a bad joke”, referring to recent calls from the federal government for German industry to show more “local patriotism” and protect domestic jobs. He argued that the state-owned railway company's purchase of vehicles from China directly contradicts these demands.
The tender, launched in April, awarded contracts to BYD and another Chinese manufacturer, Zhongtong Bus, along with German company MAN. Deutsche Bahn denied the reported figures without offering alternatives and declined to comment on details, saying only that the European-wide acquisition involves multi-year framework contracts for several thousand vehicles. The Chinese contracts will be awarded to the manufacturers' European subsidiaries.
Union boss Martin Burkert seized on recent statements by the SPD (Social Democratic Party) – closely aligned with his union – demanding “local patriotism” from German companies in return for state support.
Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil called for more commitment to domestic jobs from corporate management. “The federal government owns Deutsche Bahn,” Burkert said. “We expect him to take the fight for German jobs seriously, not just throw demands in the air.” He warned that China was entering Europe with “aggressive pricing” and that Germany was at risk of falling.
BYD, which overtook Tesla in terms of revenue last year, has already supplied electric buses to Deutsche Bahn's regional subsidiary in 2021. The company produces buses in Hungary, where it is tripling its factory capacity to 1,250 vehicles a year.
