Synthetic fuels Archives

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

Some were skeptical when rumors surfaced earlier this year that Porsche and Audi could, in four years, enter the world’s most famous car competition, Formula 1. However, this news became official, and was confirmed by the director of the Volkswagen Group, Herbert Diess.

Porsche and Audi in Formula 1 - Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess

The FIA has decided to change the competition rules from 2026, which opened up the perfect opportunity for Porsche and Audi. Brands will not compete under the Volkswagen Group name. Instead, they will use their own names, which should increase the value of both companies.

Both companies are committed to achieving this goal, as internal combustion engines will use synthetic fuels, which are already used by some Porsche models such as the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Of course, Porsche has gone further with engine development and will collaborate with Red Bull, but Audi is not far behind either.

Asked why Formula 1 and not some other competition, Herbert Diess said: “The decision is based on the fact that Formula 1 is developing extremely positively around the world, especially in the US and Asia, where the popularity of Formula 1 is growing.” Whether this will bring more popularity to Audi and Porsche remains to be seen.

Source: Volkswagen Group via YouTube

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