Innovation as the Engine of Transformation: Toward a Zero Emission Future

Authors

Holger Klein, Chief Executive Officer, ZF Group, Friedrichshafen

Year

2025

Print Info

Production/Publication ÖVK

Summary

Innovation is not a byproduct of change – it is its driving force. About one fifth of global CO₂ emissions are caused by transportation. This positions the mobility sector at a strategic inflection point in the global transformation towards sustainable transport. What we are facing is more than a technological shift; it is a systemic one. Infrastructure, regulatory requirements, customer and consumer behavior – everything is moving at once. That’s why mobility must be approached holistically: as an interconnected system of technology, infrastructure, market dynamics, and policy. 

ZF responds with a systemic innovation approach that is platform-based and cross-segment. We don’t focus on isolated components, but on integrated solutions across the entire powertrain spectrum and chassis: from plug-in hybrid and battery-electric passenger cars to conventional, hybrid and electric commercial vehicles and e-trailers. Combined with software in the vehicle, efficiency can be significantly increased. Modular, transferable, and adaptable across segments and markets – this is how we deliver real-world flexibility and commercial viability for our customers. 

Innovation becomes a strategic tool to reduce emissions, and to actively shape the transition. However, technology alone will not be sufficient. Technology can and must convince consumers and operators. We need regulatory frameworks that foster innovation and encourage competition for the best technologies aimed at reducing emissions, rather than enforcing restrictions. A framework that focuses on outcomes, embraces diversity of solutions, and supports the setup of supportive conditions. We need partnerships that go beyond supply chains and evolve into value creation networks. We must be ready to rethink mobility – not as a product, but as a connected, holistic system.

ISBN

978-3-9504969-4-9

DOI

https://doi.org/10.62626/7wk4-sod8 Copy link

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