The CDU aims to shield German automakers from potential fines.
The European Union Commission intends to prohibit the utilization of new combustion engines in 11 years from now. The emission limits for automotive fleets will be gradually decreased, and if these limits are breached by manufacturers like Volkswagen, BMW, and others, they will be liable to pay hefty fines. However, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) party aspires to modify this plan, since the money could be allocated elsewhere.
The CDU seeks to support German car manufacturers suffering from poor sales of electric cars and protect them from imminent fines for not meeting European emission standards. Michael Kretschmer, the deputy chair of the CDU, expressed his thoughts in Handelsblatt magazine, stating, "We must make sure companies don't have to pay fines if they can't meet the emission targets due to sales issues." He further explained, "Companies should be allowed to continue investing in developing and bringing new products to market." The VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) has endorsed this proposal, with its president, Hildegard Müller, telling Handelsblatt, "The VDA is actively involved in discussions about measures to make reaching these goals possible."
The EU has compelled automotive organizations to maintain a designated maximum CO2 emission value for the vehicles they sell in the EU. The limit depends on the weight of the sold vehicles. If the total CO2 emissions from the new vehicle fleet surpass the set value, the manufacturers will be penalized. These constraints will be intensified in the upcoming years, with the aim of prohibiting the registration of cars that produce CO2 from 2035.
The Union made the future of the combustion engine a crucial issue during the European election campaign. The CDU, in its election manifesto, advocates repealing the actual ban on diesel and gasoline engines. CDU leader Friedrich Merz has emphasized the need to "abolish this ban because we don't know today which form of mobility will actually be environmentally friendly and conducive to the climate in the future." Kretschmer's state of Saxony is impacted by the issues facing the German automotive industry. For instance, the city of Zwickau, where Volkswagen has established its electric mobility headquarters, saw a decrease in production due to declining sales.
From Kretschmer's perspective, the automakers require "meaningful political support." Müller echoes this sentiment, noting, "By 2028, car manufacturers will invest more than 130 billion euros in plant construction and conversion." She also underlined the significance of maintaining encouraging international settings for these investments, stating, "The VDA is advocating for both domestic and international support, so that these investments can be made where they have the greatest impact."
The federal government has set a goal for the mobility transition: by 2030, at least 15 million electric cars must be present on German roads. This figure is based on the current stats of new vehicles being registered in the nation. Nevertheless, as of April, the share stood at only 12.2%. Hildegard Müller, the VDA president, mentioned that by 2030, German car makers like Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen would develop "significantly more" than 15 million fully electric vehicles. However, not all of these vehicles would necessarily be used in Germany, as they might be exported worldwide. Mueller pointed out that "achieving these goals depends on many interconnected factors such as expansion of the power grid and charging infrastructure, affordable electricity, and access to essential raw materials."
Environmental organizations condemn the Union's efforts to reconsider the end of vehicles equipped with combustion engines. The fleet targets would be reassessed in 2026 anyway, they argue. Furthermore, the EU Commission has considered the potential approval of hydrogen-powered vehicles in its approved regulation on technological openness. On the contrary, the CDU and FDP (Free Democratic Party) are promoting synthetic fuels generated from green power, which, despite being less energy-efficient and more expensive, are seen as a substitute for hydrogen-powered vehicles.
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- Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, believes that the EU's ban on diesel and gasoline engines should be repealed due to uncertainty about the future's environmentally friendly and climate-friendly forms of mobility.
- The Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), led by its president Hildegard Müller, supports the CDU's proposal to shield German car manufacturers from fines if they cannot meet European emission targets due to sales issues.
- Michael Kretschmer, the deputy chair of the CDU, advocates for "meaningful political support" for automakers, who will invest over 130 billion euros in plant construction and conversion by 2028.
- The CDU aims to modify the EU Commission's plan to prohibit new combustion engines in 11 years, as German car manufacturers struggle with poor electric car sales and potential fines for CO2 emission breaches.
- The European Union Commission is considering the approval of hydrogen-powered vehicles, while the CDU and FDP promote synthetic fuels generated from green power as a substitute, despite being less energy-efficient and more expensive.
Source: www.ntv.de
