The head of Volkswagen reaffirmed on Monday the ambitions of its luxury subsidiary Porsche in the development of synthetic fuels, welcoming the German government’s refusal to ratify the end of new cars with thermal engines in 2035 in the EU.
“We believe that e-fuels can play a useful complementary role for the large number of existing cars and niche segments,” such as the very top of the range, said Oliver Blume, during the presentation of Porsche’s annual results, which are listed on the stock market at the end of September 2022.
By blocking a vote last week by all 27 EU member states, supposedly a formality, to ratify a ban on the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2035, Germany called for a European proposal that would pave the way for vehicles that run on synthetic fuels, even after 2035.
Produce fuel from CO2 produced in particular by industrial activities
Synthetic fuel technology, currently under development, consists of producing fuel from CO2 produced, in particular, by industrial activities that use electricity with low carbon emissions. It is advocated in particular by high-end German manufacturers, with a view to extending the use of traditional engines.
“We clearly appreciate the fact that the German government is now taking the appropriate measures,” Oliver Blume commented on the reversal of Berlin, highly criticized by several European partners.
Arrived at the head of the Volkswagen group in September, Oliver Blume has remained the head of Porsche, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary.
While automakers including Volkswagen have largely embraced the electric shift to gradually turn the page on the combustion engine, the group’s race car subsidiary is betting on synthetic fuels, particularly for its legendary 911 model.
With partners including Siemens Energy, Porsche launched a pilot plant in Chile last December to produce synthetic gasoline made by combining green hydrogen with carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere.
These fuels are questioned by environmental NGOs that consider them expensive, large consumers of electricity for their production and polluting, because they do not eliminate nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
The blockade in Berlin is also linked to questions of domestic politics, according to observers, the liberal party FDP, Olaf Scholz’s coalition partner, hoping to assert itself against environmentalists, also in government, posing as a defender of the sector automobile, pillar of the national economy.
Source: BFM TV
