There is a lot of discussion about eFuels, especially in connection with the possible ban on combustion technology for passenger cars. What is the current state of affairs?

The end of the internal combustion engine in brand-new passenger cars seemed all but certain. On February 14, the European Parliament had confirmed the trilogue result with a narrow majority, in which the end of the internal combustion engine was stipulated. But at the beginning of March, German Transport Minister Wissing questioned Germany's agreement to the trilogue result on European CO₂ fleet regulation for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Wissing wants the EU Commission to allow the use of climate-friendly eFuels in passenger cars, both for the existing fleet and for internal combustion engines newly registered after 2035. In response, the Swedish EU Council presidency initially canceled the vote scheduled for March 7 on a ban on new registrations of internal combustion cars from 2035.

Background
Last year, an agreement was reached within the German government. It had negotiated with the EU Commission that the latter should make a proposal on how cars with internal combustion engines fueled by eFuels could be registered beyond 2035. The proposal, which is based on recital 9a of the proposed legislation, is still pending.

What is the current status of eFuels?
In short, eFuels are synthetic fuels produced using Power-to-X technologies based on water with electricity from renewable sources. The "e" stands for "electric current." When eFuels are used, the same amount of CO₂ is released as was previously captured during production, so eFuels are CO₂-neutral. For use in shipping , eFuels are indisputable. Because where goods are transported over thousands of nautical miles, battery-electric drives quickly reach their limits. Read more here.

Synthetic fuels are also the first choice for aircraft when it comes to enabling virtually emission-free air traffic. As early as spring 2021, policymakers and industry in Germany agreed on the measures needed to establish and expand the production of power-to-liquid kerosene in the coming years by drawing up a roadmap. Read more here.

For heavy-duty vehicles , the EU proposal on CO_₂ fleet regulation envisages a significant tightening of the previous CO_₂ fleet limits, but leaves the door open in principle for internal combustion engines, more here. For mobile machinery such as tractors and excavators, eFuels are also a climate-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.

And for passenger cars? It is clear that battery-electric driving will become widely accepted in Germany and Europe. Whether this will also be the case in less densely populated parts of the world remains to be seen. Another thing to consider is that eFuels could make a significant contribution to greater climate protection and lower CO2 emissions, especially in the existing fleet. Important to know: There are currently around 1.3 billion motor vehicles globally. The often cited argument of the lower efficiency of combustion engines versus electric motors is not wrong, but it must be seen in context: The electricity for battery-electric driving must be generated where it is used. The situation is different with eFuels: they can be produced from renewable energy and water in regions where solar and wind energy are plentiful. They are very easy and safe to transport. Then efficiency is practically irrelevant. Practical examples of P2X, including the production of eFuels in Chile, can be found here.

What happens next?
For the EU regulation to come into force, the approval of the individual EU states is required. Under the voting rules of qualified majority in the European Council, an abstention is counted as a rejection. At least 15 nations representing at least 65 percent of the EU population must therefore vote "yes." Germany alone cannot bring down the trilogue result. In addition to Germany, however, Italy, Poland and Bulgaria have probably refused their consent in the run-up to the planned vote, and other countries are joining in, according to media reports. The EU treaties now actually provide for a second reading and a formal conciliation procedure. However, neither has been practiced for so long. It is also conceivable that the CO_₂ fleet limits and the end of the internal combustion engine will be decided, but that the e-eFuel dossier will be added to another dossier. The Euro 7 proposal could be considered for this.

The VDMA is committed to technology openness and thus also to the recognition of climate-neutral and renewable fuels such as eFuels.

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