Coalition Zoff because of the ban on new vehicles with combustion engines in the EU from 2035: FDP is reluctant

Created: 06/09/2022, 16:33

By: Christoph Gschossmann

How long can it smoke from new German cars?

The traffic light coalition is at odds over the planned EU ban.

© Franziska Kraufmann/dpa

From 2035 there will be no more new cars with internal combustion engines in the EU.

But the federal states still have to agree - the German traffic light coalition has been torn apart.

Munich - There is a threat of new trouble in the traffic light coalition: The reason is the planned EU ban on the sale of new cars with combustion engines from 2035, which was decided on Wednesday.

At the end of the month, the member states want to determine their position on this - the FDP is resisting the decision.

This contradicts the spirit of the coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and FDP, said Liberal boss Christian Lindner of the German Press Agency.

"We expressly wanted a future option for climate-friendly liquid fuels in new combustion engines." That is why the entire federal government must now "aim for changes for openness to technology".

Otherwise, Germany's approval would be inconceivable.

FDP against ban on new combustion cars: "Hard step"

Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing (FDP) also spoke out against the ban and declared: "The end means a hard step for the citizens." which can be proven to be fueled only with e-fuels.

Approving climate-neutral vehicles with combustion engines corresponds to the important principle of openness to technology.”

FDP parliamentary group leader Carina Konrad told the

that the ban on combustion engines would hit "hundreds of thousands of workers at manufacturers and their medium-sized suppliers" hard.

The government is now obliged to correct this "mistake" in the forthcoming negotiations at EU level.

The FDP also referred to the coalition agreement.

Support came from the ADAC: This noted that it would have been "necessary to also open up a perspective for the climate-neutral fueled combustion engine".

The Bavarian Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) criticized the ban as ideologically motivated, unrealistic and "a fatal signal for German automotive know-how". 

Ban on new combustion cars from 2035: The Greens and SPD do not go far enough

The Greens see it very differently.

In March, she expressly supported the decision on behalf of the federal government.

She also explained: "Combustion engines powered by e-fuels are only an option after 2035 outside of the CO2 fleet limits." The German Green MP Michael Bloss also said on Wednesday: "We are committed to the future of Europe as an automotive location decided." 

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From the point of view of the Greens and Social Democrats, on the other hand, the text was ultimately not ambitious enough.

"The European Parliament rejects the emissions trading softened by the fossil lobby and alliance," said Bloss.

The Environment Committee had previously voted to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases covered by emissions trading by 67 percent by 2030.

However, a majority in Parliament ultimately voted in favor of an amendment proposed by the conservative EPP for a 63 percent reduction.

"The Christian Democratic EPP tried with the right side of the house to water down the commission's proposal wherever possible," said Wölken from the SPD.

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Ban on new cars with combustion engines: German environmental aid also criticizes the move

Deutsche Umwelthilfe also criticizes the EU Parliament's demand for a ban on the sale of new cars with combustion engines from 2035 as insufficient in the fight against the climate crisis.

Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch said on Wednesday that the result of the vote was a major setback for climate protection in transport and would torpedo all efforts to make Europe independent of fossil oil more quickly.

Although phasing out combustion engines is the right step, it will come far too late in 2035, he said.

"The escalating climate crisis does not give us the time to flush millions of new combustion engine cars onto Europe's roads for another 13 years, which in turn will be dependent on climate-damaging fuel for 15 years or more."

At the world climate conference in Glasgow in November, several major car manufacturers, including Mercedes and Ford, called for a sales ban on combustion engines in the leading markets from 2035.

Car manufacturers are increasingly converting their production to electromobility.

Mercedes and VW had generally welcomed the decision.

Two of Mercedes-Benz's largest shareholders are from China.