Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on consolidating cooperation in innovative drive technologies and their infrastructures on 15 October in Berlin between Andreas Scheuer, Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and WANG Zhigang, Ministry of Science and Technology, MoST, a meeting of the steering group of both ministries took place.
Ongoing joint projects were discussed and the framework for the further collaboration defined. One project aims at an exchange process in order to prepare cooperation on regulations, codes and standards (RCS) relevant to hydrogen electric mobility.
The implementation of common German-Chinese projects will continue to happen via the virtual Sino-German Electro Mobility Innovation and Support Center SGEC. The SGEC will be led by Germany and China, with NOW GmbH and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center CATARC assuming the management role. Here information should be exchanged and bilateral cooperation projects carried out, primarily in the areas of battery electric mobility, hydrogen electric mobility (each including infrastructure), safety (battery and hydrogen) and the integration of renewable energies in the transport sector (electricity and hydrogen). Active participation of the players from the fields of research, science and industry is desired for this process.
Cooperation from the Federal Transport Ministry and MoST on electric mobility has been established since the creation of a joint partnership for electric mobility in 2011. In Germany the discussion on using hydrogen fuel technology is now gaining momentum, while in China important funding policy decisions are to be made in the coming year.