Panter warns against watering down the combustion engine phase-out

Leeway with risk

According to the EU Commission's plans, new cars will no longer necessarily be completely emission-free after 2035. Instead of a CO2 reduction target of 100 percent, the plan is for manufacturers to reduce their fleet emissions by at least 90 percent compared to 2021.

This means that new combustion engines, hybrids or range extenders - i.e. electric cars with a small combustion engine to extend their range - could continue to be approved, provided the fleet limits are met. In addition, savings in upstream and downstream areas, for example through more climate-friendly materials, are to be taken into account.

Panter referred to the importance of coordinated decisions at European and national level. He described the German government's recently presented funding programme for electric vehicles as the right step to relieve the burden on low and middle-income households in particular and stabilize demand. "A functioning mass market is a prerequisite for our plants to be able to operate at full capacity and for innovations to find their way onto the market," said the Minister.