From 2035, no new petrol or diesel cars may be sold in the EU. The EU states ultimately decide to largely phase out new cars with internal combustion engines – with the planned exception for cars that run on climate-friendly synthetic fuels.
EU states finally decided on Tuesday to largely end new cars with internal combustion engines, after the decision was blocked by Germany for weeks. The German government has insisted that even after 2035 it should still be possible to re-register internal combustion vehicles that only run on climate-friendly synthetic fuels.
Small drop of bitterness for Gewessler
Climate minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) said ahead of the decision that another loophole was needed “to get procrastinators going”. This will “not be to the benefit of the European car industry”. But it is important that the blockage is resolved.
The industry made its decision long ago
According to the most recent compromise between Germany and the European Commission, new combustion engine cars can also be registered in the EU after 2035 if they run on climate-neutral fuel – but de facto there is only one car manufacturer in the EU, Porsche, that does this as a workable future model; all other manufacturers have already decided to switch to electric cars.
However, according to Gewessler, the industry has already decided that e-mobility is the more efficient and better technology for private transportation. E-fuels will be needed in aviation and shipping, “but they will eventually become scarce and expensive”.
E-fuels currently with “creepy energy balance”
German car expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer recently expressed his doubts about the realistic use of e-fuels for the average consumer. In addition to the high cost of the fuel’s foreseeably laborious production, e-fuels also have an “uncanny energy balance,” he argues. Currently, production costs many times more energy than simply feeding a battery.
Source: Krone

I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.