EU bends to Germany’s demands, proposes separate e-fuels category in 2035 combustion ban
According to a draft proposal recently seen by the media, the European Commission has reportedly added an amendment to its 2035 combustion vehicle ban that allows for the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles after the expiry, as long as they run entirely on climate-neutral e-fuels. This move is the latest chapter in a saga to ban ICE vehicles in the EU that has recently been stifled by countries insisting on the additional e-fuel exceptions, led by automotive juggernaut, Germany.
March has been a busy and newsworthy month for the EU Commission and its ongoing quest to enact a complete ban on combustion vehicles by 2035. Throughout 2022, European Parliament, the commission, and EU members had been working through months of negotiations before finally agreeing to implement a law that would ban the sale of new combustion vehicles throughout the EU by 2035.
By last October, the ban had actually been approved by the EU’s 27 member states, including Germany. However, as the EU prepared for its final vote earlier this month, a mere formality in the legal process, Germany and its transport minister, Volker Wissing, suddenly had a change of heart, rescinding the country’s vote of confidence until further changes pertaining to e-fuels were established.
This surprising reversal sent the EU scrambling as Germany’s vote is vital to the 2035 ban’s implementation. German automakers like Porsche suddenly spoke out against the ban in its current iteration, demanding that additional exceptions be added for combustion vehicles running on carbon-neutral e-fuels.
Mere weeks after publicly declaring its distaste for the 2035 ban without e-fuel exceptions, Germany gained several EU allies, including Italy, the Czech Republic, and Poland. According to a recent report, the EU appears to be bowing to the wishes of its vocal member states and has drafted a revised proposal to the 2035 combustion ban to appease them. Here’s the latest.
2035 combustion ban may include new category for e-fuels
According to an exclusive report from Reuters, its team has gotten eyes on a drafted proposal that would include exceptions for the sale of combustion vehicles after the 2035 ban, as long as they run entirely on e-fuels and not gasoline or diesel.
To truly prevent any and all usage of carbon-emitting fuels in new vehicles after the ban, the draft states that e-fuel cars would be required to come equipped with technology that would prevent them from operating if any other fuels are used.
Two sources familiar with the discussions between the EU Commission and Germany state that the revised proposal suggesting new combustion vehicles must be able to distinguish between carbon-neutral and traditional fuels remains a problematic situation because automakers will need to develop new engines to do so.
Germany’s Transport Ministry said it is in contact with the commission to reach a solution. Although the transport minister and face of Germany’s deviation from the 2035 ban, Volker Wissing, does not support the EU’s proposed amendments for e-fuels, he is not completely rejecting it. Sources say Wissing instead intends to make improvements to it in hopes of securing an agreement that appeases all member states before this Thursday’s EU summit.
Good or bad, we are sure to hear more later this week as talks continue. Check back soon.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
Now is a great time to begin your solar journey so your system is installed in time for those longer sunny days. If you want to make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate partner
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway
Comments