“Resource efficiency is not a technical issue, but one of leadership and implementation”

The phase-out of combustion engines, electromobility, the international competitiveness of German companies and resource efficiency – these are key issues for the future that are currently occupying long-standing Steinbeis expert Jürgen Gackstatter. He sees “digitainability” – the strategic combination of digital transformation and sustainability – as a crucial lever for strengthening innovative capacity and securing companies’ competitive position in the long term. The TRANSFER editorial team met with Jürgen Gackstatter for a discussion and took a look at these and other exciting developments.

Mr Gackstatter, the focus of the current issue of TRANSFER is ‘Re:source – Innovations for our environment’. Why is it important to you in this context to talk about the shift in direction regarding the phase-out of combustion engines?

The so-called change of course regarding the phase-out of combustion engines is merely a smokescreen. An open approach to technology is undoubtedly sensible, and bans do not necessarily make the world a better place. However, one should not ignore the facts of physics, particularly thermodynamics. The development of heat engines has largely reached its limits. It is true that internal combustion engines will remain indispensable in construction machinery, lorries, ships or buses for the foreseeable future – there is no doubt about that. Nevertheless, highly efficient combustion engines with efficiency levels beyond 35 to 40 per cent are not realistically possible. The overall efficiency currently stands at a maximum of around 30 per cent. That is sobering, but investment follows development potential. That is precisely why there is no way around electromobility, with an overall efficiency of up to 90 per cent.

How do you assess current developments? Which technologies do you think have the greatest potential – and which are overrated?

The global market has already opted for e-mobility. Europe accounts for only 20 to 30 per cent of the global car market. China already stands at 40 per cent or more, and the growth market is Asia. The North American market share, at around 20 to 25 per cent, is on a par with Europe’s. In the US, the market share of electric vehicles (EVs) stood at around 10 per cent in 2025, with the share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at around 8 per cent – and rising sharply. The EV market also includes hybrid vehicles, whilst the BEV market comprises exclusively fully electric vehicles. Hybrids are regarded as a transitional technology, as they are technically more complex and often more expensive to manufacture and maintain than conventional combustion engines or BEVs. In my view, this technology is overrated.

In your view, what strategies will enable German companies to remain competitive on the global stage?

German car manufacturers have long delayed the transition due to their strong expertise in internal combustion engines. The shift to electric powertrains and greater expertise in software and electronics represents a radical structural change. This hesitant transformation points to a systemic shortfall in the interaction between politics, the market and industry – with corresponding implications for jobs.

Against this backdrop, the supposedly pragmatic European compromise on phasing out combustion engines seems more like a fig leaf. Instead, there is a need for innovation-driven and, wherever possible, sustainable mobility providers from Germany who use more powerful and cost-effective batteries, develop new modular vehicle classes and position them clearly. Equally crucial is societal acceptance of this necessary reorientation. One possible approach is ‘digitainability’ – a sustainable digital transformation that views digitalisation and sustainability as a strategic unity.

What specific support do you offer companies in this area?

We support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular in creating a CCF, i.e. a Corporate Carbon Footprint, and thus a greenhouse gas balance for the company. The CCF is not just a reporting metric, but a strategic management tool. It creates transparency regarding CO₂ drivers, identifies potential savings and forms the basis for decarbonisation strategies.

On the subject of resource efficiency: what can companies do in the short term to become more resource-efficient – even without major investments? And what strategies do you recommend for the long term?

Resource efficiency is not primarily achieved through large-scale investments, but through systematic transparency, discipline and the use of quick-win measures. Companies can achieve measurable results within three to twelve months if they prioritise the right levers. The guiding principle is: Measure → Prioritise → Implement → Stabilise.

Resource efficiency is not a technical issue, but a matter of leadership and implementation in which employees must be actively involved. In addition, funding programmes, such as those offered by L-Bank, can be utilised. As part of such L-Bank financing with a sustainability bonus (interest rate reduction), companies receive a CO₂ footprint assessment for Scope 1 and 2, prepared by us, as well as a roadmap for CO₂ reduction, free of charge.