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The saga of getting the EU’s proposed ban on sales of new combustion cars by 2035 continues, and more details are in limbo than ever. Following Germany’s abrupt opposition to the ban ahead of its final vote (a mere formality) last week, the EU Commission has declared plans to include a role for e-fuels in the future with hopes it will be enough to regain Germany’s blessing. Here’s the latest.

The executive arm of the EU appears to be willing to play ball with Germany – a massive automotive market on the continent, which up until recently, was in full support of the commission’s proposed ban on all new internal combustion engine (ICE) car sales by 2035.

European Parliament, the commission, and EU members worked through months of negotiations last year before agreeing to a potentially groundbreaking law which by last October, had been approved by the EU’s 27 member states.

As a result, the parties saw a clear runway headed into the final vote scheduled for last week, a simple formality and the last step in enacting the ICE ban into law. However, German transport minister Volker Wissing suddenly broke from the pack of member states supporting the ban, stating that the proposal in its current iteration does not clearly explain the role CO2-neutral, or “e-fuels,” will play as an alternative to prohibited combustion.

As we reported last week, Germany was still optimistic an approved proposal could ban ICE sales next decade as long as it sees more clarity and exceptions in the potential use of e-fuels. The EU quickly began scrambling to offer provisions that establish how these e-fuels can be used in combustion vehicles after 2035, despite the evidence that their energy production method remains just as wasteful and inefficient as traditional fuels and electric vehicles will inevitably dominate the market.

Now, the EU has offered a declaration to Germany in favor of e-fuel use, but to what scope and when we will see a revised ban proposal remains quite unclear.

EU combustion ban

Final vote on EU car ban could be postponed to 2024

There’s not huge news to report since Germany backed out of its vow to sign the EU’s combustion car ban into law last week, but the commission intends to at least try and cooperate to get the deal done. As Automotive News Europe points out, the European Union has declared intentions to clarify a potential spot for e-fuels after the combustion ban takes effect in 2035.

The declaration is welcomed news for European automakers like Porsche and Ferrari, which have been two of the more outspoken marques demanding e-fuel guidance. According to a source close to the matter who asked not to be identified, the new declaration would amend the rules of the EU combustion ban so that certain cars that run on e-fuels are permitted.

While the EU has relayed that it is trying to amend the ban and appease Germany – a country vital to the final vote – the wrench thrown before last week’s signing will punt the finalization of the combustion car ban down the road, possibly into 2024. The length of time required to pass revised regulations in Brussels means the member states likely won’t see another vote on the ban until after EU elections next year.

Furthermore, the EU Commission has yet to specify a deadline for when the revised proposal, including e-fuel exemptions, will be delivered. Lastly, it’s still unclear whether the new terms will even be enough to regain Germany’s vote. Germany’s automotive industry currently employs over 800,000 people and contributes to the largest segment of the country’s economy, raking in about $438 billion each year.

Even if the EU’s parliament and Germany agree on permissions for e-fuel usage after the 2035 combustion car ban, the technology itself will need to be developed further to even offer a viable alternative to gas and diesel.

New technologies and fuel additives will need to be successfully integrated in order to achieve carbon neutrality, and it’s hard to imagine many automakers dedicating funds to that R&D as many have begun fully embracing BEV models (Porsche included) as the new future of mobility.

A spokesperson from the German transport ministry confirmed that Volker Wissing was participating in ongoing talks with the EU Commission today and that Germany remains engaged in discussions regarding the use of e-fuels. This story is still ongoing and now looks to remain so through 2023.

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China overhauls EV charging: 100,000 ultra-fast public stations by 2027

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China overhauls EV charging: 100,000 ultra-fast public stations by 2027

China just laid out a plan to roll out over 100,000 ultra-fast EV charging stations by 2027 – and they’ll all be open to the public.

The National Development and Reform Commission’s (NDRC) joint notice, issued on Monday, asks local authorities to put together construction plans for highway service areas and prioritize the ones that see 40% or more usage during holiday travel rushes.

The NDRC notes that China’s ultra-fast EV charging infrastructure needs upgrading as more 800V EVs hit the road. Those high-voltage platforms can handle super-fast charging in as little as 10 to 30 minutes, but only if the charging hardware is up to speed.

China had 31.4 million EVs on the road at the end of 2024 – nearly 9% of the country’s total vehicle fleet. But charging access is still catching up. As of May 2025, there were 14.4 million charging points, or roughly 1 for every 2.2 EVs.

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To keep the grid running smoothly, China wants new chargers to be smart, with dynamic pricing to incentivize off-peak charging and solar and storage to power the charging stations.

To make the business side work, the government is pushing for 10-year leases for charging station operators, and it’s backing the buildout with local government bonds.

The NDRC emphasized that the DC fast chargers built will be open to the public. This is a big deal because a lot of fast chargers in China aren’t. For example, BYD’s new megawatt chargers aren’t open to third-party vehicles.

As of September 2024, China had expanded its charging infrastructure to 11.4 million EV chargers, but only 3.3 million were public.

Read more: California now has nearly 50% more EV chargers than gas nozzles


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Two charged in $650 million global crypto scam that promised 300% returns

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Two charged in 0 million global crypto scam that promised 300% returns

A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as “Main Justice,” is seen behind the podium in the Department’s headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Federal prosecutors have charged two men in connection with a sprawling cryptocurrency investment scheme that defrauded victims out of more than $650 million.

The indictment, unsealed in the District of Puerto Rico, accuses Michael Shannon Sims, 48, of Georgia and Florida, and Juan Carlos Reynoso, 57, of New Jersey and Florida, of operating and promoting OmegaPro, an international crypto multi-level marketing scheme that promised investors 300% returns over 16 months through foreign exchange trading.

“This case exposes the ruthless reality of modern financial crime,” said the Internal Revenue Service’s Chief of Criminal Investigations Guy Ficco. “OmegaPro promised financial freedom but delivered financial ruin.”

From 2019 to 2023, Sims, Reynoso and their co-conspirators allegedly lured thousands of victims worldwide to purchase “investment packages” using cryptocurrency, falsely claiming the funds would be safely managed by elite forex traders, the Department of Justice said.

Prosecutors said the pair flaunted their wealth through social media and extravagant events — including projecting the OmegaPro logo onto the Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s tallest building — to convince investors the operation was legitimate.

A video posted to the company’s LinkedIn page shows guests in evening attire posing for photos and watching the spectacle in Dubai.

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In reality, authorities allege, OmegaPro was a pyramid-style fraud.

When the company later claimed it had suffered a hack, the defendants told victims they had transferred their funds to a new platform called Broker Group, the DOJ said. Users were never able to withdraw their money from either platform.

The two men face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The Justice Department, FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations led the multiagency investigation, with help from international partners.

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Tesla forced to refund $10,000 FSD payment and 0% interest on Cybertruck

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Tesla forced to refund ,000 FSD payment and 0% interest on Cybertruck

Tesla is starting to experience some consequences for misleading Full Self Driving customers – at least that’s the finding of one arbitration ruling that has Tesla refunding one customer $10,000 plus legal fees for failing to deliver on their promises. Find out more on today’s legally challenging episode of Quick Charge!

An arbitration “court” found that Tesla misled customers with its Full Self Driving product, and has now been forced to refund at least one person’s $10,000 payment (plus legal fees) for the not-quite autonomous driving software. France, too, is piling on claims of deceptive business practices – but there’s some good news for FSD fans! If you’re still willing to pay for it, Tesla will thrown in 0% financing on a brand new Cybertruck.

Check out the relevant links, below, to learn more.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


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