As part of its ambitious climate plan, the EU executive proposed on July 14, 2021 to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars in the EU to zero from 2035, which would de facto stop sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles in favor of 100% electric engines.
But not everything seems to go as smoothly as expected.
Thus, while the German Minister for the Environment, Steffi Lemke, has stated that she supports the European Commission's proposal formulated in July 2021, she wishes to supplement it by authorizing the registration of vehicles running exclusively on CO2-neutral fuels, which would open the door to synthetic fuels, also called e-fuels.
“We need a strong and rapid reduction in CO2 emissions, but we also need to remain open to new technologies,” she explained during a meeting with her EU counterparts in Luxembourg.
The automotive sector, like the oil industry, is indeed pinning great hopes on synthetic fuels which would make it possible to prolong the use of internal combustion engines, which are now threatened by the emergence of 100% electric vehicles.
But the use of this technology in the automobile is disputed by environmental NGOs, who consider it both very expensive and energy-intensive.
They also denounce engines emitting as much nitrogen oxide (NOx) as their fossil fuel equivalents.
Did you say “lobbying”?
The German proposal also aroused reluctance within the Commission, which did not, however, prevent it from obtaining the support of several countries, including Hungary and Italy.
The latter, supported by Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia, has proposed postponing to 2040, rather than 2035, the end of the sale of thermal engine cars in the EU.
What suspense!
Automotive
Mercedes is testing a liquid hydrogen truck
Automotive
Ban on thermal engines: will Germany go to the front?
Automotive
European Commission
Environment
Energetic transition
Fuel
Electric car