CO2 limits: Traffic light coalition lacks ambition - climate targets at risk

Other Instruments like Fuel Prices, Tolls, and Speed Limits Needed

The number of battery-electric cars by 2030 would fall about 4 million short of the federal government's target of 15 million vehicles. Consequently, Transport Minister Volker Wissing would have to resort to other climate protection instruments on a national level to achieve the required greenhouse gas reduction in the transport sector. These include, for example, a speed limit, higher fuel prices, or a car toll.

Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, in his role as both Climate and Economy Minister, needs to get involved and push for stricter consumption limits, according to environmental groups. It is incomprehensible why the ministry did not play a stronger role in negotiations over the central instrument for decarbonizing the transport sector. The current position lacks ambition and interim targets, and Germany is missing the opportunity to finally commit to a concrete phase-out date for combustion engine cars, the NGOs further criticize.

15 Million Target for E-Vehicles Could Even Be Slightly Exceeded

According to the analysis, the federal government could even slightly exceed its target of 15 million electric vehicles by 2030, believe the analysts, by advocating for a gradual increase in European fleet limits for passenger cars to 30% in 2025, 45% in 2027, and 80% in 2030. This would force carmakers to produce and sell more electric cars, thereby putting their announcements into practice, the NGOs outline. As a result, significant annual CO2 reductions would be achieved, providing a substantial part of the required greenhouse gas savings in the transport sector, according to the forecast.

"Germany is obliged to advocate for stricter fleet limits, not only for climate protection reasons but also in the interest of the future of the German automotive industry. It would be fatal to let this current opportunity pass by and fail to provide planning security for the national industry. This would only benefit Chinese car manufacturers," believes Friederike Piper, e-mobility advisor at T&E.

Nikolas von Wysiecki, transport policy advisor at NABU, demanded that Germany, like other countries, set a binding phase-out date for new registrations of combustion engine cars.

"Plans to promote synthetic fuels in any way for passenger car traffic can only be seen by German manufacturers as a signal to continue developing combustion engine cars, while the rest of the world is already moving towards electric vehicles," says Wysiecki.

Synthetic fuels are seen by parts of the industry as a way to extend the lifespan of the combustion engine beyond 2035. It is disheartening to see that the FDP-led transport ministry is now following this assessment again after Transport Minister Wissing initially took a clear public stance to the contrary, the NGOs express. Electrically produced fuels are highly inefficient as they require about five times more energy than an electric car and are correspondingly expensive to produce. Recent laboratory tests also showed that cars running on so-called e-fuels pollute the air with nitrogen oxides just as much as fossil fuels.