Wissing with EU Southeast partners
Alliance against burner off forms
03/13/2023, 8:20 p.m
The dispute in the federal government about the planned end of the EU combustion engine has far-reaching consequences. At a meeting in Strasbourg, Transport Minister Wissing joined forces with like-minded colleagues from other countries. The e-fuels or technology openness alliance is taking shape.
Germany has forged a blockade alliance with Italy and a number of Eastern European countries against the planned phasing out of internal combustion engines from 2035. The EU Commission now needs an answer as to how climate-neutral cars can continue to be operated regardless of technology, said Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the FDP after a meeting with his counterparts in Strasbourg. “We want to see something concrete, so we agree with others.” Wissing said that skepticism about the combustion engine exit was shared among others by Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic. Wissing said they wanted a separate category of combustion cars that could run on synthetic, climate-neutral fuels. These should also be permitted after 2035.
The alliance of states can stop the already largely unified phase-out of the combustion engine, which has already been decided by the EU Parliament. The European Parliament, the EU Commission and the member states had already agreed last year to phase out combustion engines for passenger cars from 2035. At Germany’s insistence, the non-binding request to the EU Commission to examine options for the use of synthetic fuels was added. With these, internal combustion engines could continue to be operated. However, it is clear from this “Recital” that this can no longer apply to newly registered passenger cars from 2035 onwards. Wissing is now demanding that the Commission commit itself to synthetic fuels before the formal state decision is made and not just rely on electric mobility.
“Therefore, the matter is not ready for approval for us,” said Wissing. He would have been happy if the EU Commission had taken part in the talks right away. “We only think it’s wrong to ban the combustion engine if it can be operated in a climate-neutral manner.”
Backing for Wissing von Blume
Actually, the formal decision as part of the “Fit-for-55” climate protection program should be made this week. Then the environment ministers of the states that are actually in charge meet. Germany’s Minister Steffi Lemke from the Greens supports the original decision. However, if the federal government does not agree, it must abstain from voting in Brussels. This is then equivalent to a no and thus to a blockage.
The auto industry is also increasing its pressure on the federal government, such as Porsche boss Oliver Blume. “With a view to combustion vehicles, e-fuels are a useful addition – in stock and in the niche,” said Blume, who also heads the VW Group, in Wolfsburg. The auto industry is “in the middle of the transformation” and needs planning security. “We therefore expressly appreciate that the federal government is now taking the appropriate steps.”
Synthetic fuels can be produced in a climate-neutral manner, but they are still considered too expensive and inefficient. Currently, the fuel is only produced in pilot plants. Audi operates a test facility in Switzerland, Porsche is building a test facility in Chile. In addition, e-fuels currently play practically no role in the automotive industry.