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Auto executive-turned-international fugitive Carlos Ghosn believes German automakers are best placed to challenge electric vehicle leader Tesla.
Ghosn, speaking from Lebanon where the former Nissan chairman fled to allude to Japanese authorities, specifically mentioned Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen in an interview with CNBC’s Phil LeBeau on Friday on “The Exchange. “.
“In my opinion, it will be a German company,” Ghosn said. “The Germans are the first who, after strongly criticizing the electric car in 2008 and making fun of it, suddenly discovered that they needed to move, and moved quickly.”
Ghosn, who is promoting a new book called “Broken Alliances: Inside the Rise and Fall of a Global Automotive Empire,” said Japanese automakers have been slow to move towards electric vehicles and that this would hurt them. He didn’t mention General Motors or Ford Motor, both of which invest billions in technology.
Volkswagen has been particularly aggressive in expanding its sales of electric vehicles globally. The German automaker wants more than 70% of European sales of its Volkswagen brand to be electric vehicles by 2030. In the United States and China, it expects half of its sales to be electric vehicles by then.
Carlos Ghosn, former managing director of Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA, gestures as he addresses the media at the Lebanese Press Union in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
Hasan Shaaban | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Regarding the recent increase in the number of electric vehicle start-ups, Ghosn said he believes many companies “will thrive as long as they get organized.” He didn’t mention any by name, but some of the more prominent companies are Rivian, Lucid, Fisker, and Lordstown Motors.
“I’m very optimistic about some of the startups that revolve around the electric car and self-driving cars,” Ghosn said.
Ghosn, who has claimed his innocence, said he escaped Japan because he had “no chance” of getting a fair trial. He secretly fled the country on December 29, 2019 with the help of a former US Army Green Beret and his son, both of whom are serving prison terms in Japan. Michael Taylor and his son Peter Taylor were arrested by US authorities in Massachusetts in the spring of 2020 and extradited to Japan in March.
When asked about the Taylors, Ghosn reiterated his concerns about the Japanese legal system and their high conviction rates.
“I feel bad for them. I feel bad for everyone who goes through the system, especially if you are a foreigner,” he said.
Ghosn was initially arrested in Japan on charges of financial misconduct and abuse of company resources in November 2018.
Ghosn reiterated on Friday that he hopes to one day leave Lebanon.
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