台灣奧迪總裁 Matthias Scheppert

台灣福斯集團暨台灣奧迪總裁Matthias Schepers

TEXT | Mick Wu PHOTO | Anew

隨著環保意識抬頭，「電動車」成為全球汽車製造商摩拳擦掌的競技新品。作為全球頂級車製造商，Audi預計2025年之前，於全球推出30款電能驅動車型。去年甫接任台灣福斯集團及台灣奧迪總裁的Matthias Schepers，挾著過往任職德國企業總部、日本與東南亞分公司銷售業務和經銷體系管理的豐富經歷，看好台灣地窄人稠的環境特性與消費者對新穎科技的高接受度，積極佈局Audi在台的電動車生態圈，讓與在地產生情感和產業鏈連結的頂級純電移動指日可待。

以人為貴 推動連結情感的純電移動

「進化科技，定義未來 (Vorsprung durch Technik)」這句Audi的廣告標語，也是Matthias Schepers寫在私人筆記本上的職涯箴言。在Audi任職超過17年的他笑稱自己愛車成癡，喜歡車子可以帶給人們的幸福感與喜悅，更愛Audi在車款的研發上不斷推陳出新，與時俱進地迎接科技更迭的挑戰。曾帶領日本奧迪創下銷售新高峰的Schepers將好成績歸功於其深富感染力的品牌精神，然作為跨國公司的團隊領航員，其多元文化的經歷和從中得到的體悟也是成就佳績不可忽視的要素之一。

尊重他人感受的管理哲學

關於國際品牌經營哲學，長於德國和日本的Schepers有其獨到的見解——「Audi是國際品牌，它同時也是德國品牌，更確切地說是來自德國巴伐利亞邦的品牌，而巴伐利亞邦又有著與其他地區截然不同的文化，因此光是Audi本身就與眾所認知的德國有著地域文化上的差異。當我們把文化差異的場域放大至歐洲、亞洲，這當中的差異絕非表面所看到非黑即白的不同人種，檯面下的文化細節，才是可以贏得人心的關鍵。『體察別人的感受，這就是我的管理哲學。』」

體察別人的感受，這就是我的管理哲學。

Schepers「以人為貴」的處世哲學正與頂級房車強調「以客為尊」、重視情感連結的理念不謀而合。「車其實是一項感性的商品，它絕對不僅只是乘載人移動的工具，當車子出現問題時人會產生抱怨的情緒，妥善地處理能讓車與人產生更好的情感連結。」享受車主笑顏逐開的表情讓Schepers在提升售後服務品質與確保客戶滿意度獲得諸多肯定，其精闢的洞察也促成其銷售上的亮眼戰績。

在台打造移動願景

頂著眾望所期的光環，承繼Audi全球電動車發展策略，就任台灣區總裁剛滿一年的Matthias Schepers不僅積極推廣Audi首部電動車e-tron，更欲聯合台灣廠商齊力打造在地純電移動生態圈。

台灣奧迪第一步便是在集團成立「e動中心」，旨在培養與訓練在地的電動車專業技術人員，同時也邀請以電源管理見長的台達集團，在該中心展示電動車充電站的電源管理系統，預示純電移動的可期未來。除此之外，隨著智慧科技的來臨，台灣的高科技製造產業環境 也讓Schepers對於在台推行電動車持有樂觀的看法。「30年前僅有少數台灣廠商與Audi合作，近年則有許多台灣廠商打入了Audi供應鏈，例如最近剛上市的新款旗艦房車A8，後座乘客使用的觸控螢幕便是台灣廠商的生產傑作。台灣電子廠商的零組件品質優良，易於整合進Audi汽車的設計語彙，讓汽車外型線條得以更俐落美麗。」

除了維修與製造的優勢外，台灣多數為短距離通勤的駕駛需求，也是Schepers對於在台推電動車頗具信心的原因之一。「目前e-tron充飽電後的行駛里程約為400公里，恰好為台北台中的來回距離。我們期待能有機會與城市和商業夥伴合作，建構30分鐘車程就有一充電站的友善環境。」

綠能生產 實現永續

日前趁著休假與家人去了趟肯亞旅遊的Matthias Schepers在分享心得時不禁感嘆大自然的雄偉與美麗。Audi對於環境維護、社會永續發展的承諾，除了呈現在拓展全產品線電能驅動車的藍圖上外，也實踐於推動綠能生產中。「目前生產甫於今年8月發表的e-tron SUV的比利時布魯塞爾工廠，供電即來自廠房屋頂上37,000平方公尺的太陽能發電面板，每年估計減少約17,000噸左右二氧化碳的排放，並已取得碳中和 (CO2 Neutral) 認證。我們希望位於世界各地的Audi生產基地皆能於2030年前達到碳中和認證的標準，為地球環境永續貢獻心力。」

繼e-tron SUV休旅車款，Schepers興奮地預告還有運動跑旅 e-tron Sportback、e-tron GT跑車將會陸續推出。邁向純電時代的來臨，Matthias Schepers期待承繼Audi對設計之美的堅持，持續在台灣打造以人為尊、環境友善的幸福未來！

Connecting People with Renewable Energy

With the rise of environmental awareness, electric cars have become newly competitive products among automobile manufacturers around the world. As one of the world’s top brands, Audi planned to launch 30 models of electric cars before 2025. Matthias Schepers, Group Managing Director of Audi Volkswagen Taiwan and Managing Director of Audi Taiwan, who has rich experience in both management and sales is very optimistic towards the Taiwanese market. The factors of a compact environment with high population density and high acceptance of new technology in the Taiwanese market are strategic advantages to Audi’s deployment of the electric car ecosystem. Audi is actively promoting the connection between people and renewable energy through collaboration with local manufacturers and industry chain.

lieved for 17 years working in Audi. He is a car enthusiast and believed that cars bring people happiness and joy. Surges of explicable excitement hit him whenever he sees new models are being developed or new challenges of technology are present. Although, he is modest about his success of leading Audi Japan to break its sales record and deeply believed that the brand speaks for itself, undeniably, his experienced leadership and multicultural background are factors to success not to be neglected.

Respect is the Core Management philosophy

Schepers has his unique insights on the management philosophy. For him, Audi is an international brand, a German brand, a brand from Bavaria more specifically. Bavaria has a very different culture from other regions within Germany. Therefore, Audi is very different from the culture of Germany, and when these cultural differences are brought to Europe or even Asia, it may not be understood easily. But only with cultural details can they attract people’s attention and win their hearts. “To feel what others feel, is my philosophy for management,” said Schepers.

To feel what others feel, is my philosophy for management.

Schepers’ philosophy coincides with the concept of customer-centric services of the premium car brands. Cars are commodities that connect deeply with our emotions. Other than satisfying people with transportation needs, they also provide us with safety protection, social status, and interaction. They are an important part of our lives. When cars have issues, it often greatly affects us emotionally. Therefore, services are a vital part of the experience of owning a car, it created connections between the people, the car, and the brand. The smiles on car owner’s faces are the assurance of Schepers’ quality aftersales services, which has often contributed to the success in sales.

Building Renewable Energy Ecosystem in Taiwan

Inheriting Audi’s global electric car strategy, Schepers is actively promoting Audi’s first electric car e-tron in Taiwan and connecting Taiwanese manufacturers to co-create a local electric car ecosystem.

First of all, Audi Taiwan is establishing e-center at the company and the goal is to cultivate and train local electric car professional technicians while inviting the expert in power management, Delta Electronics, to demonstrate the power management system of the electric car charging station at the center. This showcases the realization of the electric car and its ecosystem in the foreseeable future. In addition, with the advent of smart technology, the environment of advanced technology manufacturing made Schepers confident and optimistic in promoting electric cars in Taiwan. Thirty years ago, there were very few Taiwanese manufacturers collaborated with Audi, but in recent years, there are many Taiwanese manufacturers in Audi’s supply chain. For example, the newly debuted luxurious flagship Audi A8 is using touch screens made by Taiwanese manufacture for the infotainment system. Quality products and components made by Taiwanese manufacturers are easy to integrate into the design language of Audi which complete the design of the car in perfection without compromises.

Moreover, other than the advantages of maintaining and manufacturing, most traveling distances are short in Taiwan due to the limit of its geographical environment, which reinforced Schepers’ confidence for promoting electric cars. Currently, a fully charged e-tron can travel 400 kilometers, about a round trip between Taipei and Taichung. “We’re looking forward to having the opportunities to collaborate with business partners in each city to build a friendly environment which would have a charging station for every 30 minute- drive,” said Schepers optimistically.

Eco-Friendly Production Realizing Sustainability

When Schepers went on vacation with his family to Kenya a while back, he was amazed by the majestic and beautiful scenery of nature. Audi is committed to environmental protection and sustainable social development. Not only is Audi debuting the blueprint of the whole line-ups of electric cars, but also realizing them through eco-friendly production. The e-tron SUV debuted in August this year was made in a factory in Brussel, Belgium, powered by 37,000 square meters of solar panels which will reduce the carbon-dioxide emission by 17,000 tons every year and granted the CO2 Neutral Certification. Audi’s goal is to obtain the CO2 Neutral Certification for all of its factories worldwide before 2030 to make contributions for environmental protection and sustainable planet.

“Following the e-tron SUV, Audi will be debuting its e-tron Sportback and e-tron GT in the near future,” revealed Schepers excitedly. With the advent of the electric car era, he believed that Audi will hold its promises on sustainability and persistence on the design language, and continue to build a beautiful and eco-friendly future.