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Ahead of the car summit at the Chancellery, the dispute over the future of the internal combustion engine is growing.
The fronts seem to be hardening. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) is demanding that the Chancellor not tamper with the agreed end date.
“If the federal government again bows to the car manufacturers, it will lose all credibility in climate protection,” warns DUH managing director Jürgen Resch.
For him, the summit stands for a directional decision: Will Germany pursue climate targets consistently—or again make concessions to the industry?
Lower Saxony, Volkswagen country, is worried
On the other side stands Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies. The SPD politician, whose state is a shareholder in Volkswagen, regards the complete departure from the combustion engine by 2035 as “unfortunately unrealistic”. In his “Future Pact Mobility 2035” Lies advocates longer transition periods – and for the possibility that even beyond 2035 new combustion engines may be approved. Lies defends his position with regard to jobs and structural change. In regions such as Wolfsburg or Emden, where whole industries depend on car manufacturing, there is growing concern about too rapid a disruption.
“We need time to shape the transformation in a socially acceptable manner,” it says.
The environmental NGO Umwelthilfe, by contrast, warns of a setback in climate policy. Each delay of the phase-out means higher CO₂ emissions and endangers the statutory climate targets. Resch speaks of 'fossil loopholes' that exist only to safeguard profits.
Merz for "technology openness"
Chancellor Merz is opposed to the currently planned phase-out of new internal-combustion vehicles from 2035. He regards the combustion engine ban in its current form as "wrong" and instead advocates for more technology openness.
Specifically, he calls for not maintaining the ban outright, but leaving room for alternative propulsion technologies – such as synthetic fuels – and research into combustion engines that could be operated with new fuels. Merz argues that there remains a need for development, especially in the heavy-duty sector and with diesel engines, and that a ban on this technology could put Germany at a disadvantage compared with international competitors.
Coalition at odds
However, his stance within the coalition is controversial: Many SPD representatives – provided they are not from the VW homeland of Lower Saxony – hold to the phase-out by 2035 and warn of inadequate planning certainty and dwindling credibility in climate policy. For Merz, the summit is likely to be a balancing act. On the one hand, industry pressure is mounting as it seeks planning certainty in view of weak demand for electric cars and global competition from China. On the other hand, the climate movement expects clear signals for the transformation.
Farewell to the internal combustion engine is not an attack on German engineering
For decades, German manufacturers have perfected their internal combustion engines. Now it is time to apply the same ambition to emission-free powertrains.
The argument that people need more time sounds familiar. But global warming does not wait for model cycles and sales forecasts. The automotive industry itself shows that it can be done differently: new electric models, better ranges, falling prices. The technological upheaval is here; now it needs the political framework to take hold.
Content automatically translated.
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