E-fuels: Saving the combustion engine?
Unlike the EU Commission and Parliament, the environment and climate ministers have not explicitly called for a ban on combustion engines. If e-fuels were used, cars with combustion engines could still be allowed.
A few weeks ago, the European Parliament voted to ban the registration of petrol- or diesel-powered new cars from 2035. Now the EU Council of Ministers, and thus the Member States, have also voted in favour of the legislative proposal of the Parliament and the Commission. According to the minutes of the meeting, however, the ministers never explicitly spoke out in favour of a ban on internal combustion vehicles. Thus, a backdoor was left open for traditional engines.
After long negotiations, the EU environment and climate ministers agreed on a position on CO₂ emission standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The agreement only talks about reducing CO₂ emissions to zero by 2035 and does not explicitly ban the registration of new petrol and diesel vehicles. Other alternative fuel types, as long as classified as low emission, could therefore come into play and continue to allow new registrations. If it can be proven that the car is powered exclusively by e-fuels, registration will still be possible.
The decision of the Council of Ministers does not only give a sigh of relief to the automotive industry. Some politicians in the EU member states also seem relieved by the Council's position. Particularly when it comes to people who had not one hundred percent announced their support for a phase-out of traditional fuels. Among them is Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP). In contrast to the position of Environment Minister Lemke (Greens), Wissing is still of the opinion that cars with combustion engines should still be allowed to enter the market under certain conditions. The FDP's fear is that a radical ban could lead to job losses. According to the transport minister, it would be better to remain "open to technology" and "let the spirit of innovation run free".
However, further negotiations at the EU level are pending before the final legislative texts are drafted. Regardless of whether e-fuels are allowed in the final law, the EU must reduce CO2 emissions at all costs in order to achieve the climate targets set. The environmental zoning system could therefore be expanded or rearranged. Given the central role of carbon dioxide emissions in the draft law, environmental zones could be established that focus exclusively on reducing CO2 levels. However, this would also require an adaptation and expansion of the sticker system.