VW CEO Oliver Blume casts doubt on the EU's 2035 deadline for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. He calls for more flexibility and a reality check when it comes to electric cars.
VW boss Oliver Blume is now questioning the EU's 2035 ban on all new petrol and diesel cars.
The planned phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars in the EU could be uncertain. Blume believes the timetable for the transition to electric cars may be unrealistic.
The EU's plan is otherwise clear. From 2035, no new cars with combustion engines will be allowed to be sold. This applies to both petrol, diesel and hybrid cars. The goal is to promote the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Oliver Blume calls for more flexibility. He believes that we need to continuously check reality. How quickly will electric cars actually spread? That should affect the schedule.
– There is a need for ongoing checkpoints that are oriented towards the realities of how quickly e-mobility is spreading, says a comment to the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung .
He believes that political transition periods may be necessary. This could mean a later stop for fossil vehicles.
The 2035 plan itself does contain an option, however. It's called "technology openness." New cars with combustion engines may be able to be sold after 2035. This requires that they run on CO2-neutral fuels such as e-fuel – which is synthetic gasoline/diesel – or hydrogen.
Stricter CO2 requirements for car manufacturers are already postponed
Blume, who is also the head of Porsche, is positive about the EU Commission's latest plans for fleet limit values, which cut to the chase means that car brands will have more time to comply with stricter CO2 requirements.
Originally, the stricter requirements were to apply from 2025. Now it is proposed to postpone the deadline to 2028. This gives car manufacturers three extra years to adapt.
Without the extra time, the German car industry in particular would be at a major disadvantage. They have a high proportion of cars with combustion engines in their fleet. French Renault may also have problems complying with the original requirements.
The automotive industry is facing major challenges, especially for the German industry. Declining sales figures in China are one of the problems for several European brands.
Trade conflicts are also creating uncertainty in the market. At the same time, many European car buyers are hesitant to buy new electric cars. The spread is slower than hoped in several countries.
Political debate about 2035 ban continues
Other CEOs have also expressed concerns in the past. Ola Källenius is the head of Mercedes-Benz. He is also the chairman of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA. He has previously called for relaxation of climate regulations.
The proposal to postpone the CO2 requirements until 2028 is currently being discussed politically. This is happening in the European Parliament and among the 27 EU countries. The proposal has not yet been finally adopted.
Dealers in the EU system may demand further changes to the rules. It is possible that the entire 2035 ban on combustion engines will be reconsidered at a later date. The discussion about the future of cars is far from over.
Regardless of the future of the internal combustion engine, development is in full swing. Even Porsche has had to admit that you can't live without petrol and diesel cars anyway.
For the same reason, the brand from Zuffenhausen will now spend billions of kroner on developing completely new models with combustion engines.Read more about it here .
