Europe 20 Years Behind China in Electric Car Battery Technology

JAKARTA - The European automotive industry is said to face a significant technological lag in the electric vehicle revolution. In fact, Europe is at least 20 years behind China in battery development, according to renowned German automotive expert Professor Ferdinand Dudenhöffer.

The academic, who is often dubbed the "Automotive Pope" by German media, delivered his assessment in an interview with Global Times. Dudenhöffer, who also serves as Director of the Automotive Research Center in Bochum, Germany, assessed Europe's position as increasingly under pressure amid the rapid expansion of Chinese car manufacturers in the global market.

The comment came as China-made electric cars surged in Europe. In December 2025, the monthly sales volume of Chinese manufacturers for the first time broke through 100,000 units, with a market share of 9.5 percent.

"In the battery sector, Europe is 20 years behind China," said Dudenhöffer, as reported by Carnewschina, Friday, January 30.

He emphasized that dependence on Chinese suppliers is now inevitable for European manufacturers to remain competitive. In 2025, more than 70 percent of electric vehicle batteries sold in Europe are supplied by Chinese companies.

Cost advantage is the main factor for this dominance. Chinese manufacturers are able to produce batteries at a cost of around 30 percent lower, while cutting the development cycle by 50 percent compared to European competitors.

In contrast, the European battery industry is still struggling. Sweden's Northvolt is reportedly facing bankruptcy due to technical problems and delivery delays, while France's Automotive Cells Company (ACC) has delayed plans to expand its factory.

Chinese battery companies are not just suppliers, but are starting to build direct production bases in Europe. CATL through a joint venture with BMW has started production in Germany.

Meanwhile, BYD is working with Stellantis to develop low-cost lithium iron phosphate batteries that are now entering the mass production stage. Europe's technological lag, according to Dudenhöffer, also extends to sectors other than batteries.

"Chinese companies in fields such as automated driving and smart cockpits, such as QCraft, Horizon Robotics, Xiaomi, and Huawei, are leading this trend rather than being dominated by European and American manufacturers," he said.

Data from the International Energy Agency shows that China currently controls about 75 percent of global battery production capacity, with a special advantage in lithium iron phosphate technology. Even though the European Union is trying to strengthen the supply chain through the Critical Raw Materials Act, the cost of producing batteries in Europe is still about 50 percent more expensive than in China.

In addition, Europe still relies on more than 80 percent of imports of important raw materials such as lithium and nickel. "If European car manufacturers continue to rely on inefficient local supply chains, they will completely lose the opportunity to transition," said Dudenhöffer.

He assessed that partnerships between Chinese and European companies have the potential to change Europe's position from merely a battery consumption center to a test ground for Sino-German technology. The professor also highlighted what he called China's efficiency, where the product development cycle can take half as fast as German companies.

"We can learn a lot from China's efficiency," he said. He emphasized that the collaboration of the Chinese and European automotive industries is a mutually beneficial strategy that combines the strengths of both parties.