Electromobility is a sector that has experienced significant growth, as well as gaining substantial investment over the past few years.
Here we look at the current state of the electromobility (e-mobility) market, and what this means for professionals working in this exciting sector. We also share some comments from our Talent Director John Martinand one of our Senior Recruitment Consultants specialising across roles in electromobility, Tania Smolentseva.
What Is Electromobility?
Broadly defined by Gartner, electromobility “represents the concept of using electric powertrain technologies, in-vehicle information, and communication technologies and connected infrastructures to enable the electric propulsion of vehicles and fleets.”
In the world of electrifying our motor vehicles, sustainability and efficiency are front of mind. As Gartner notes, “e-Mobility efforts are motivated by the need to address corporate fuel efficiency and emission requirements, as well as market demands for lower operational costs.”
The Rise of E-Mobility in Europe
As VDA’s first global e-mobility ranking report reveals, “more and more vehicles with electric drive trains are coming onto the market worldwide.” The report unveils fascinating data on the rising consumer demand for electric and hybrid vehicles. It puts the total number of electric cars at approximately ten million worldwide, revealing the most electric cars to be in China (4.2 million), closely followed by Europe (3.2 million) and the US (1.7 million). The report also reveals that “Europe registered the most new electric cars in 2020”, which means it overtook China (1,246,289 cars) for the first time.
It is common industry knowledge that the German e-mobility market is booming, and has long been at the forefront of the industry’s innovations.
Speaking to our Talent Director John Martin about the boom, he notes:
“The Electric Vehicle market in Germany has seen a 264% increase in market growth, compared to China who saw just a 3% increase in the same period. This has resulted in Germany being the 2nd largest market for Electric & Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles.”
However, there is an equally impressive and aggressively growing market nearby: in Austria.
Impact on Hiring
With the drive towards electrification being the precedent, the Austrian market has seen an explosion of activity. It is within Austria that Xcede has seen the biggest increase in demand for our recruitment support. Projects have been awarded, investment is being spent in multi-millions and the need for experts has never been higher.
Speaking to our Talent Director John Martin about hiring patterns in the sector, he notes:
“Hiring has increased substantially and here at Xcede we have seen this unprecedented increase first-hand.
The hiring market is experiencing a monumental shift, away from traditional powertrains and toward electrification, especially in Europe. Huge E-mobility businesses are flocking to Europe to try and cut in on market share, and with very good reason.”
Similarly, Tania — one of our Senior Recruitment Consultants at Xcede — notes the current boom in e-mobility roles across Europe. Tania works across Software, Systems and Hardware Development roles in e-mobility to support clients who develop electric motors, electric drives, power electronics and inverters. When discussing the recent changes in hiring patterns, she notes:
“Many companies paused a lot of their hiring operations in 2020 because nobody knew how to approach the situation correctly. It looks to me like a lot of them are trying to compensate for this lost year so now we are busier than ever.
The boom is continuing, so companies are hiring again and we have many new projects on the horizon.”
Xcede’s Mark on the European E-Mobility Industry
Xcede have positioned themselves at the forefront of this boom, partnering with multiple Automotive businesses in countries across Europe. To date, we have delivered expert Engineering talent to several major projects across Europe including a 50+ project headcount for a major e-motor/e-drive development project in a major city location.
We have also had requests to support the rapid expansion of an e-bike/e-motorcycle development project, with 15 heads needed in the next 6 months.
Speaking to our Talent Director John Martin about the impact on hiring, he notes:
“We have never been busier. Austria is a strategic focus for our business right now and we have seen some excellent results from our partnerships with major clients in Austria.
Our track record in Austria and proven expertise in identifying domestic talent, as well as relocating professionals from across Europe has seen a number of recognised organisations approach us to become a valued recruitment partner”.
Electrification has become a mainstay in the development of the Automotive/Transport sector. Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and professionals with the right skills to support these innovations are in high demand.
If you are an Engineering professional in Hardware, Software, Systems Engineering or Functional Safety and you are open to a career move to Austria, contact our dedicated e-mobility jobs team at Xcede today.
