The pursuit of net-zero has been a disaster for German manufacturing in general and for its auto sector in particular, but German industry’s efforts to adapt to a changing world — if not in a way that Greens might hope for — are continuing.
I noted the other day how Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest arms manufacturer, is looking to sell off its civilian auto division at a time when its defense business is booming. Now the Financial Times is reporting that Volkswagen is in talks with a state-owned Israeli company, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems to switch one of its plants over to the production of components for Rafael’s Iron Dome air defense system.
According to the FT, VW would not be making Rafael’s missiles, but heavy-duty trucks to carry the system’s launchers, missiles, and generators, meaning that the switch, if it occurs, should be fairly easy to accomplish.
The FT notes that VW already makes military trucks in a joint venture between its subsidiary MAN and Rheinmetall.
A little tactlessly its report also includes this:
The partnership with Rafael would mark a major return to weaponry for VW, which produced military vehicles and the V1 flying bomb for Hitler’s Wehrmacht during the second world war.