Porsche disputes EU's 2035 deadline for gas car ban – too ambitious or too rigid?

During the world premiere of Porsche's latest Macan EV, their Chief Financial Officer, Lutz Meschke, shared his views on the future of internal combustion engines in Europe. According to Meschke, there's currently widespread debate across Europe regarding the validity of the European Union's enforcement ban on such engines. He argues that the proposed 2035 deadline for ending sales of CO2-emitting cars will not be achievable.

The German company's perspective may have merit. The ban, decided upon in Brussels, sparked disagreements during the discussions. Critics of the ban presented strong arguments against it. Nonetheless, a ban on the selling of CO2-emitting cars across the European Union was put into effect. An exception is made for cars with engines running on e-fuel. The carbon dioxide consumed during e-fuel production compensates for the CO2 emitted during petrol combustion in the engine.

Opponents of this provision argue that a completely zero e-fuel balance will never be feasible. However, they overlook the fact that power production also falls short of zero emissions. In an era where the European Union, especially countries like Poland, is still struggling to achieve zero emissions in the energy sector, why should e-fuel driven internal combustion engines be banned, especially if electric cars also generate emissions?

An important consideration is the higher cost of electric vehicles compared to their gasoline counterparts. The infrastructural developments necessary for charging the rapidly increasing number of electric cars post-2035 may pose a significant challenge for some countries.

These uncertainties, however, are not hindering Porsche's adaptation to change. In accordance with their strategic plan, by 2030, they aim for 80% of their sales to come from electric cars. Following this, they will gradually phase out gasoline models in Europe.