Tag Archives: Germany

News

The VDA proposes a ban on the sale of fossil fuels in Germany from 2045

The European Union plans to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035, meaning buyers will be able to choose electric or hydrogen cars, but some members are against it. Now, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is proposing a ban on the sale of fossil fuels in the EU from 2045.

Germany was one of the proponents to extend the sale of cars with ICE after 2035, but on the condition that only synthetic fuels are used. However, not everyone is convinced that this is a good thing. The chairman of the management board of BMW Oliver Zipse recently said that lawmakers shouldn’t rush with shutting down internal combustion engines. Instead, the EU should encourage the adoption of low-CO2 fuels as soon as possible. Not only for new cars but also for the existing fleet, because there are over 250 million cars in 27 EU countries.

“At the moment there are many indications that the European Commission is looking for a false solution whereby the ban on internal combustion engines is relaxed through an obviously misleading solution in the form of synthetic fuels,” Zipse said.

However, the VDA wants to ban the sale of petrol and diesel for new and old cars so that drivers switch to synthetic fuels, in order to reduce CO2.

Germany plans to have 15 million electric vehicles on its roads by 2030, but the reality is somewhat different, considering that this country is recording the biggest drop in sales of electric vehicles.

Source: Reuters

EV

XPeng G9 and P7 now available in Germany

Another Chinese car manufacturer, XPeng, has arrived on the European market with its two new electric models, the XPeng G9 SUV and the XPeng P7 sedan. This company was founded in 2014, and after Scandinavia and Germany, it plans to conquer other EU markets as well as Great Britain.

XPeng P7 will be offered in three versions: Long Range, Performance and Wing Edition. The standard version (Long Range) will be powered by an electric motor with 276 hp (203 kW), while the other two versions will be powered by two electric motors with a total power of 473 hp (348 kW). The Long Range version will be equipped with an 82.7 kWh battery that provides a range of 576 kilometers. The battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 29 minutes. The Performance and Wing Edition versions will have a slightly shorter range (505 km), and when it comes to the price of the Long Range version, it will start at 49,600 euros.

XPeng G9 SUV will be offered in three versions: Standard Range, Long Range and Performance. The Standard Range version is powered by a single electric motor with 313 hp (230 kW). It is equipped with a 75.8 kWh battery that enables a range of 460 kilometers. The Long Range version has a larger 93.1 kWh battery and a range of 570 km. The most powerful version, Performance, is equipped with two electric motors with a total power of 551 hp (405 kW) and a range of 520 km. The 75.8 kWh battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 20 minutes. The price of this model starts at 57,600 euros.

Source: XPeng

News

Demand for EVs in Germany dropped by 54.9 percent

At the end of last year, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) predicted that the demand for EVs in Germany will fall in 2024, despite constant growth in the world market. This already happened in January, when demand dropped by 54.9 percent compared to the same period in 2023. One of the reasons is the abolition of the subsidy.

The German government’s sudden decision to temporarily suspend subsidies for the purchase of new EVs has forced manufacturers to reduce vehicle prices in order to remain competitive with other manufacturers. As a reminder, BYD lowered prices by 15 percent, while Dacia reduced the price of the Spring model by 10,000 euros.

Buyers turned to proven options, gasoline and diesel cars, which had a decline in sales last year. However, the current situation with EVs has resulted in demand for cars with internal combustion engines. In January, 9.1 percent more gasoline cars were sold compared to the same period in 2023, while demand for diesels increased by 9.5 percent.

Another major reason for the decline in demand for EVs is the current state of the German economy, which has recently been in crisis, as well as geopolitical tensions in the region. Inflation, high prices and poor infrastructure of charging stations also affect demand. Even the leading car rental companies are looking for alternatives for their fleets due to the high cost of maintaining electric vehicles.

The VDA expects the German car market to drop by 1 percent to 2.82 million in 2024. At the same time, the global market is forecast to grow by 2 percent to 77.4 million cars. “Problems in the supply chain have largely been resolved, but the business environment for German carmakers remains challenging,” said VDA chief economist Manuel Kallweit.

Source: Reuters