The European ban on the sale of petrol cars, which would take effect from 2035, is in doubt. The German transport minister says he does not support the plan, to the dismay of part of his own cabinet. An insert may offer a solution.
It seemed all done last October: the European Commission, the European Parliament and the member states reached an agreement on the end of the car with a fuel engine. From 2035, passenger cars that run on fossil fuels would no longer be sold.
That was five years later than the Dutch cabinet actually wanted, but still a big step. Currently, about 10 percent of cars sold within the EU are electric, but the law would make all new cars emission-free in twelve years’ time.
The liberal FDP had openly doubted the proposal before. Last summer it led to a fight with coalition partner Die Grünen, led by climate minister Robert Habeck. He eventually agreed to the EU proposal on behalf of Germany.
Germany wants an exception for synthetic fuel
But at the last minute the coalition shows cracks again. FDP Minister Volker Wissing (Traffic) said earlier this week that Germany does not want to support the ban on the fuel engine, unless there is an exception for cars that run entirely on synthetic fuel. The powerful German car industry hopes that this exception will keep the beloved fuel engine alive.
It led to surprise in Brussels, where the proposal was on a list to be hammered down next week without debate, notably by education ministers. Now representatives of the member states still have to discuss on Friday how to convince Germany. Without Germany, there is insufficient support for the law, because Italy and Poland are already obstructing it.
Possibly an insert with the law can offer a solution, says a person involved. “At this stage, it would be very difficult to start negotiating all over again.” A leaflet to the law would still allow the FDP to claim a partial victory at home. It is still unclear what exactly should be included.
Much more green energy needed
Jan Huitema, the VVD MEP who steered the law through the European Parliament on behalf of the Environment Committee, sees nothing in allowing cars to run on synthetic fuels after all. In a speech in parliament, he already pointed out that an enormous amount of green electricity is needed to produce these fuels in a sustainable manner. That costs much more electricity than driving electric cars for the same distance.
“If you want to use synthetic fuels, you need five times as many wind turbines, solar panels and therefore raw materials,” said Huitema. “I think this is the wrong way.”
Environmental group Transport & Environment is also critical of Wissing’s proposal. “It is simply impossible to keep track of what fuel drivers put into their vehicles over their entire lifespan,” says Alex Keynes of the organisation. A car that in theory has to run on synthetic fuels will also run on petrol.
“If the price of these advanced fuels turns out to be prohibitively expensive – as expected – then these cars will still run on fossil fuels,” says Keynes.
