“Fewer Parts do not Necessarily Mean Lower Revenue”, says Jens Schüler (Schaeffler AG) in VDE Interview

(Frankfurt am Main, May 19, 2026) In the medium to long term, electric mobility will be the dominant form of propulsion on the road. Jens Schüler is counting on this as well. As Head of Vehicle Lifetime Solutions, the manager is responsible for Schaeffler AG’s global aftermarket business — with a focus on repair, maintenance, and post-production solutions for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and various drive types. In a C-level interview with Ralf Petri (in German), Head of the Mobility Division at VDE, Schüler discusses the changing demands on his division: “Historically, aftermarket markets and operating models were largely comparable, despite differences in vehicle fleets. Looking ahead, this will change significantly. Fleets will become more diverse, with some regions relying longer on combustion engines while others move faster toward hybrid and electric mobility. This diversity is an opportunity for us, because sustaining motion across different technologies requires flexibility, deep expertise, and the ability to manage complexity.”

Schüler sees the ever-shorter innovation cycles as a major challenge. According to him, electronic components — and increasingly software as well — are sometimes no longer available after just a few years. “To sustain motion across the vehicle lifetime, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and circular product concepts are therefore essential to preserving value,” explains the manager. “Especially for software and electronics, new and flexible approaches are needed to ensure availability ten to fifteen years into the future. We are advancing this through modular concepts, remanufacturing, small batch supplier solutions, and, where appropriate and viable, recycling.” However, he also points out: “At the same time, we recognize that not all challenges yet have ready made answers.”

Despite the changes and challenges, Jens Schüler looks to the future with optimism. Electric vehicles require fewer repairs and spare parts, partly due to the lower number of individual components. But he points out: “Fewer parts do not necessarily mean lower revenue. As vehicle systems become more complex, repair requirements increase, creating value over the entire vehicle lifetime.”

Insights into Relevant Technical Developments in Mobility

Ralf Petri, Head of the Mobility Division at VDE, meets regularly with executives from the mobility industry and conducts C-level interviews with them. The conversations also highlight the people behind the scenes and are published on the VDE website. The interview series provides insights into relevant technical developments in the field of mobility. There will also be opportunities for further discussions and networking at the VDE E-MOBILITY CONFERENCE 2026. This year’s annual industry event will take place on November 4 and 5 at the Coreum in Stockstadt am Rhein. The event is under the patronage of Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder.