What European carmakers really think about the ICE ban

5 months ago 12

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The European Parliament election results have called into question the EU’s de facto 2035 ban on new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. In Germany, the conservative CDU and CSU parties turned the topic into an election issue and pledged in their manifesto to reverse the policy.

Given that the Christian Democrats won in Germany, and their EPP group won across Europe, this issue takes on greater importance.

But is a reversal of the ban really aligned with the interest of European carmakers? Euractiv reached out to carmakers and checked previous public statements to find out.

For some, the answer is a clear ‘no’.

During an NGO press briefing last week, responding to a question on the possibility of the Commission overturning the ICE ban, Céline Domecq, the head of Volvo Cars’ EU’s office answered: “We hope ( the Commission) will not do that. It would be terrible for OEMs like us who have already clearly invested because we know that without a clear target we will not be there in 2035.”

Stellantis, who own brands like Fiat, Citroën and Peugeot, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, and Opel, declined to comment to Euractiv on the ICE ban. But their outspoken CEO Carlos Tavares said in February that he supported the ban.

Last week, the Platform for Electromobility, which counts Renault in its membership, also defended the ban, saying that “to ‘hit reverse’ now would also significantly penalise all industrial actors (…) who have already invested in this transition.”

Other carmakers do not explicitly welcome the ban but acknowledge the medium-term trend away from ICE vehicles.

Volkswagen, who also own brands like Audi, Skoda and Seat, told Euractiv that “we are convinced that the future of mobility is electric.” The company said it plans to invest in the last generation of ICE-powered cars “from 2024-25 onwards”.

Mercedes-Benz acknowledged that “it is clear that mobility must become CO2-neutral” – although this could encompass ICE cars fueled with e-fuels. Germany secured a last-minute exemption, when negotiating EU CO2 standards for cars, for such technology.

Only BMW came out strongly against the ban.

In an interview with German media in May, CEO Oliver Zipse called the ban “naive” and said that “an adjustment (of the ban) is unavoidable”.

Despite this diversity of positions, one clear theme emerged.

Carmakers who were open to the electromobility switch focused not on bans, but on the enabling regulatory conditions that could enable to them to make the switch – for example continued consumer subsidies, an extensive charging network, and sufficient renewable energy supply.

These may not be the issues that win elections, but they may offer a more pragmatic way forward for the next European Commission.

Additional reporting by Jonathan Packroff and Sarah N’tsia

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[Edited by Donagh Cagney/Zoran Radosavljevic]