Finance Minister Lindner aims to keep combustion engine technology in German hands.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner refuses to relinquish combustion engines and hand them over to countries like China. Speaking at an event in Berlin on Wednesday, he stressed the need for lifting existing technology bans, particularly those on combustion engines.
The combustion engine is set to remain in use globally, including in Germany, for many years. He advocated for a more open approach to different technologies, such as the integration of climate-friendly synthetic fuels, known as e-fuels, with combustion engines. These could be profitably manufactured in the Gulf region during the 2030s.
Lindner cautioned against transferring combustion engines to Chinese companies simply because Europe is banning them. Across the European Union, carbon-free new vehicles will be the only ones allowed from 2035, effectively a ban on combustion engines. Germany, led by Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FGD), has made an exception to allow combustion engines integrated with e-fuels to keep functioning. The aim is that after the European election, the EU Commission will prioritize other matters.
