EU gives green light for sales of e-fuel cars beyond 2035!

The European Union’s 2035 combustion engine car ban to allow synthetic fuels

The European Union has agreed to make a carveout for synthetic fuels in its proposed 2035 ban on the sale of new combustion engine cars. According to the Associated Press, the bloc struck a deal with Germany to allow automakers to continue selling new ICE cars post-2035, as long as these vehicles are powered by climate-neutral fuels. This agreement resolves a dispute that had threatened the EU’s climate change policy, with the European Parliament postponing a vote on the ban in March due to Germany’s concerns supported by automakers.

The Deal and Criticisms

Frans Timmermans, the executive vice president of the European Green Deal, announced the agreement on Twitter and expressed a commitment to finalizing CO2 standards for cars regulation promptly. However, environmental group Greenpeace criticized the deal as a “lazy compromise” that weakens climate protection in transport and Europe as a whole.

Challenges with Synthetic Fuels

As highlighted by The Guardian, producing synthetic fuels is highly energy-intensive, and without advanced technology like direct air capture, e-fuel cars could emit almost as many greenhouse gases as traditional ICE vehicles. An estimate suggested that a carveout for synthetic fuels could lead to a significant reduction in EV sales in Europe by 2050 without offering additional CO2 savings. Additionally, no company is currently producing synthetic fuels at a large scale, making it unlikely that these fuels will offer cost savings to European drivers. Transport & Environment forecasts that by 2030, the average EU driver could pay €782 more per year to fuel their car with synthetic fuel compared to conventional gasoline.