Germany’s finance minister has rejected a proposal to ban cars with internal combustion engines, citing the development of synthetic fuels.
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A senior member of the German government has suggested that the country will not sign a European Union bill to de facto ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 unless provisions are made for cars running on synthetic fuel.
The German authorities had previously requested an exemption from the laws for engines powered by synthetic fuels. These so-called ‘eFuels’ would capture CO2 and recycle it into petrol, diesel and aircraft fuel, without adding more CO2 to the atmosphere as is the case with petroleum-derived fuels.
Two of the largest carmakers in the country see eFuels as part of the future of the industry. In June 2020, the BMW Group announced that it was investing $ 12.5 million (A $ 18 million) in a start-up that had created a way to create solar-powered synthetic fuels.
In April 2022, Porsche announced that it would spend $ 75 million ($ 108 million) to fund research and development of synthetic fuels with wind and solar energy, with plans to build facilities in Chile, the United States and Australia.
Porsche senior executives have previously indicated their desire to maintain some variants of the iconic 911 sports car with an internal combustion engine for the next decade, powered by eFuels.
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The activist group is pushing for the same argument it used to successfully sue the German government in April 2021. The country’s Supreme Constitutional Court then ruled that the country’s laws were insufficient to successfully comply with the Paris agreement. of 2015, of which he is a signatory.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said his government would not accept the EU’s decision to ban the sale of cars with internal combustion engines (ICE), and said the move would destroy a decade of development. technological future.
“No matter how noble the reasons, we have no way of knowing if there are still options for technologies, such as synthetic fuels, that no one has on the agenda today, but which could return to view very quickly at some point. inflection. in the future, “Lindner said at an industry event.
The law proposed by the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, establishes a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions from the exhaust pipes of new cars by 2035, effectively limiting battery-powered or electrically powered vehicles. hydrogen.
However, Lindner’s threats could be just a beacon designed to pressure the European Parliament to accept special provisions for synthetic fuels.
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The German government is made up of a three-party coalition, with Lindner a member of the pro-business party Free Democrats, while the environmental portfolio is managed by Steffi Lemke of the Greens, who rejected Lindner’s comments in a written statement. It is understood that the coalition had previously agreed to support the ICE ban.
Lindner appeared to soften his position in a tweet after the event, writing: “The EU’s pending decision on fleet limits for cars is not open to technology. However, synthetic fuels are an option. “We have to preserve this for our workplaces, which has been around for a long time.”
If the European Commission includes provisions for eFuel-powered ICE vehicles, it could help provide an environmentally friendly way forward for developing nations that do not have the capacity to quickly build infrastructure to support electric vehicles or hydrogen cars, while maintaining the long haul. diesel trucks and low-volume sports cars on the road.
Ben Zachariah is an experienced Melbourne-based motoring writer and journalist who has worked in the automotive industry for over 15 years. Ben previously was an interstate truck driver and completed his MBA in finance in early 2021. He is considered an expert in the area of classic car investment.
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