Automotive industry

More than 20,000 people in the region are employed in the automotive industry, making Hannover one of the top 5 automotive locations in Germany.

The automotive industry is the most important industrial sector in the region. Around 24,900 people are employed in the automotive industry in the Hannover region; the industry thus accounts for 4.7% of the region’s total jobs. In combination with Braunschweig and Wolfsburg, the Hannover region is one of the world’s most important centres for the automotive industry.

Major players

Major companies include VW Nutzfahrzeuge and Continental AG along with numerous suppliers such as Wabco and Clarios. These companies specialise in commercial vehicles, tyres, powertrains, special parts, brake systems, battery technology and vehicle information systems. Mobilitec, a leading trade fair for the sector, takes place during the Hannover Messe.

Research

Many research and educational institutes also specialise in the sector: there are 30 institutes and university facilities in the region related to the automotive industry. The Hannover metropolitan area received funding as part of the Schaufenster Elektromobilität federal subsidy programme and is also host to ITS mobility, one of the biggest smart mobility clusters in Germany. ITS mobility is a non-profit association based at the Research Airport in Braunschweig. It has more than 200 members from business, academia, federations and municipalities.