The electric car revolution is underway, and although there is much talk about its environmental benefits and the expected reduction in emissions, there is one crucial aspect that is less discussed: the impact on employment. The transition to the electrification of personal transport, while necessary and positive for the planet, threatens to generate a silent tsunami of jobs that could leave thousands of workers on the street.
It is well known that, once development costs are discounted, manufacturing an electric car is approximately 30% cheaper than producing a combustion engine. The main reason lies in the simplicity of its design and the drastic reduction in the number of parts. The fundamental difference, the heart of the matter, lies in the engine.
An internal combustion engine is a marvel of mechanical engineering, but also a complex puzzle made up of hundreds, even thousands, of parts. Each of them, from the smallest joint to the crankshaft, must work in perfect synchrony to generate movement. Their design and manufacture require highly specialized labor and years of accumulated experience.
In contrast, an electric motor is simplicity itself. With just a few dozen parts, even the most modern models incorporating rare earths are significantly simpler to manufacture. This simplicity translates into shorter production lines, fewer robots and, crucially, fewer staff.
This change has profound implications for the automotive industry, especially in Europe and North America. For decades, thousands of engineers have dedicated their careers to the design and refinement of combustion engines. These professionals, with highly specialized knowledge, now face the difficult task of retraining for the new technologies of the electric car. Many of them, unfortunately, could find themselves out of work in the coming years.
And the situation is no better in assembly plants. As the transition to electric cars accelerates, companies will need fewer staff to assemble their vehicles. We are already seeing the first signs of this trend, with manufacturers such as Volkswagen announcing staff reductions and plant closures, although for the moment they are hiding behind the decline in sales.
The reality is that the “key” of the automobile has changed. A century ago, it was the combustion engine; today, it is the battery and a powerful computer that controls all the functions of the vehicle. Modern electric cars contain more software than a fighter plane, which has forced a paradigm shift in the industry. However, this change does not benefit everyone equally. Traditional manufacturers, with little experience in software development, are forced to subcontract or acquire technology companies, which often involves restructuring and layoffs.
European and North American companies are still staying afloat thanks to the sales of their combustion vehicles. But the future is uncertain. When the electric car finally prevails, what will happen to these companies and their workers? The outlook is not encouraging. It is easy to imagine waves of layoffs affecting all levels of the industry.
As always, those who will pay the price for the strategic mistakes of managers will be the workers. Managers who, blinded by the search for short-term profits, did not decisively bet on the electric car when there was still time. Now, the bill for their short-sightedness will be paid by those who have the least responsibility in decision-making.
The transition to the electric car is inevitable and necessary. But it must be managed responsibly and with a long-term vision that includes retraining and training plans for the affected workers. Otherwise, the electric car revolution, instead of a step forward for humanity, will become a social tragedy.
Life, at times, is terribly unfair.
EN 
ES