Report: Germany wants the combustion engine to live on

Germany believes in combustion engines powered by synthetic fuels

Several countries have already announced plans to ban sales of vehicles with an internal combustion engine in the coming decades. Most of these come from Europe, and it’s due to the stricter emission regulation and environmental issues. However, one European nation does not believe that electric vehicles are the only way for a cleaner future.

According to a report by Motor1.com, German Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing, told the European Commission that they have decided against the proposal to stop sales of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2035. Instead, he says the country wants to allow combustion engines even after 2035.

Yes, it seems Germany wants the combustion engine in vehicles to live on in the electric age. There is a catch, though. According to the German minister, these vehicles must be exclusively powered by synthetic fuels. Unlike the gasoline and diesel we use today, synthetic fuels are cleaner and produce fewer emissions. At the same time, the use of these fuels will also allow traditional vehicles to stay on the road in the years to come and have reduced emissions at the same time.

Volker Wissing tells Motor1 “we cannot rely on electric or hydrogen mobility for the future”. In addition, he adds that there are not enough electric vehicles to make the shift just yet, and their availability must be scaled up.

Germany won’t be the first nation in the European Union to oppose the combustion engine ban. Last year, Italy also announced that it was in talks for a potential exemption of the rule for the country’s supercar makers. Fortunately, nothing is set in stone yet since the proposed 2035 combustion engine ban in Europe is still in the proposal stage. It is currently undergoing a long process of approval and acceptance from EU nations.

In relation to synthetic fuel, German automakers are heavily investing in renewable fuel. Audi recently announced that its V6 diesel engines can now run on renewable fuels reducing CO2 emissions by 70 to 95 percent. Meanwhile, Porsche is developing their own synthetic fuels which burn cleaner than ever.

Do you think synthetic fuels can be the alternative to a purely electric future and keep the combustion engine alive? Share your thoughts below.