It’s soon the end of heat engines on the market. On Monday, March 27, 2023, ambassadors from all 27 European Union countries endorsed the end of petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles in favor of all-electric vehicles, with Germany lifting its block in exchange for exemptions for future synthetic fuels . The text, one of the pillars of the European climate plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, aims to ban new cars from emitting CO2.
On Tuesday, at a meeting of energy ministers, the text will be “put on the agenda” for formal adoption, the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU announced.
This announcement comes after Germany’s reversal on the issue. In mid-February, Berlin had blocked the text at the last moment, despite the approval by MEPs gathered in plenary and after a green light from the Member States, including Germany. To justify its about-face, the country had demanded that the Commission present a proposal paving the way for vehicles running on synthetic fuels.
This technology, still under development, would consist in producing fuel from CO2 resulting from industrial activities. Defended by high-end German and Italian manufacturers, it would extend the use of heat engines after 2035.
