Blockade planned in Brussels: Lindner wants to avert the end of the combustion engine

The future of the automotive industry lies in electromobility.

Blockade planned in Brussels: Lindner wants to avert the end of the combustion engine

The future of the automotive industry lies in electromobility. According to Finance Minister Lindner, it is not possible to ban the internal combustion engine in the EU from 2035. He wants to block the venture during consultations in Brussels.

FDP leader Christian Lindner wants to block the EU's departure from the combustion engine from 2035 in the upcoming consultations in Brussels. Lindner announced this in a speech to the Federation of German Industries (BDI). "I think the decision to ban the internal combustion engine was wrong," the finance minister confirmed earlier statements. From this he draws the conclusion "that we in the federal government will not agree to this European legislation this week," announced Lindner.

This means: "Germany will not be able to agree to the fleet limits, which mean a de facto ban on combustion engines," he clarified. He justified this by saying that despite the switch to electromobility, there will still be niches for the combustion engine. In some parts of the world, the switch to electric cars will probably not be possible “even in decades”. In addition, there must be the option of using new synthetic fuels in the future.

Lindner also called for an end to purchase premiums for electric vehicles. In order to promote this, tax advantages for electrically operated company cars were completely sufficient, said Lindner. He pointed out that there are currently long delivery times for e-cars anyway due to the high demand, "we don't need the purchase bonus as well".

Lindner also called for a change of course in energy policy with a view to reducing gas supplies from Russia. "We still have three functioning nuclear power plants," said the FDP leader. It must now be discussed "without ideology" as to "whether we should also get the nuclear option." "It's about securing the energy supply for us," emphasized the minister.

With a view to ramping up hydrogen technology, Lindner also called for "not to be so picky". There should be no restriction to regeneratively produced green hydrogen, he is also open to fossil-produced “blue hydrogen and also to red hydrogen that is produced with French nuclear power”.