In an attempt to increase the number of environmentally friendly cars on the roads in Germany, the country’s federal council (Bundesrat) has passed a resolution that will stop the purchase of new internal combustion engine cars by 2030.
Once the ban is enforced, German citizens will only be permitted to buy zero-emissions vehicles. It won’t matter whether the vehicles are electrically powered or hydrogen fueled, they just won’t be able to have an internal combustion engine.
At the moment, the ban will only be enforced in Germany, but the Bundesrat has called for the European Commission in Brussels to consider implementing it across the entire European Union. Considering Germany is a fairly influential EU member state, it’s not impossible that this call for action could very well result in some changes.
Time to fossilize fossil fuels
The Bundesrat resolution calls not only for “stimulation of emission-free mobility” which will no doubt come in the form of buying incentives, it also suggests a “review of the current practices of taxation and dues” which could lead to a clamp down on diesel tax advantages to reduce the fuel’s popularity.
This resolution (combined with the fact that some of the biggest German automakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen are already working on lines of electric cars) could see Germany’s roads soon become very green indeed.
Source: techradar.com
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So, you expect to change the buying, living and commuting habits of millions of people in 15 years? Good luck!
EVs are still really immature technology. Until there are mainstream models with 200+ mile ranges, which can replenished from 10% to 100% in less than 15 minutes at a comparable price point to their ICE equivalents the large majority will not buy them.
Plus the infrastructure, be it hydrogen filling stations or charge points, just isn't there. At all. And if you do need to recharge your electric car, it will take an absolute age as the technology is right now.
Look at the progress in the last 15 years to now. And then in the last 5 years to now. Innovation in the sector has shifted from improved performance and range to autonomous driving. What's the point in the car being able to drive itself if it doesn't have the juice to do the journey???
As long as there are petrol stations, my car will have an internal combustion engine.
How have Germany managed to pass this law, do they not report to the EU?
Why the enthusiasm? Electric cars and hydrogen cars are not zero emission if natural gas etc used to generate electricity. Also electric cars are less efficient in use of energy with gas used to generate electricity then battery charge/discharge. Drivers issues irrelevant since by 2030 all vehicle likely to be driverless. Reducing emissions is down to less pointless running around the place to no useful purpose. Ask the Greens – they will take away all our cars completely.
"since by 2030 all vehicle likely to be driverless". All new vehicles, possibly (but hopefully not).
Out of choice, i would never buy a car I couldn't drive myself, I enjoy driving far too much for that. And the governments of the world are not going to retroactively make all currently legal cars illegal unless they are completely brain dead. I really can't see this happening in less than 15 years. It's a massive culture shift.