Instead of hitting the panic button, European automakers pressed reset on their operations in the region. The restructuring and an improving economy have made some industry executives cautiously optimistic.
Green shoots of recovery are beginning to appear for Europe’s carmakers, despite continued shrinkage in the region’s overall new-car sales.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reaffirmed her target to bring 1 million electric cars onto German roads by the end of the decade, despite weak interest from consumers.
Her government is hosting a two-day industry summit in Berlin to promote the fledgling technology, after fewer than 3,000 electric cars were sold in Germany last year out of a total market that exceeded 3 million.
