In April this year, the European Union launched a ban on the sale of fuel vehicles, stipulating that from 2035, the sale of new fuel vehicles with non-zero carbon emissions will be prohibited in the EU. However, given Germany's request for an exemption, the European Commission is developing legal pathways to allow new cars that only run on e-fuel to continue to be sold after 2035.
According to a draft bill seen by the media, the EU plans to set strict conditions to require cars using e-fuels to completely use carbon-neutral fuels.
E-fuels, also known as synthetic fuels, are gaseous or liquid fuels produced from renewable energy or decarbonized electricity, including e-ethane, e-kerosene and e-ethanol. Unlike biomass fuels, the raw materials for e-fuels are hydrogen and carbon dioxide. However, while e-fuels have a much lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels, they still emit carbon dioxide and other pollutants during the combustion process. The draft notes that key to the design of such cars is ensuring that the engine does not start unless CO2-emitting gasoline is used. Therefore, automakers will need to use some technical means to ensure that such vehicles can only run on carbon-neutral fuel, which may require the use of equipment to track the chemical properties of the fuel.
It is worth noting that the above regulations may change before official announcement.
The EU aims to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, with the baseline being 1990 levels, and ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. And the transportation industry is key to achieving this goal. Data shows that a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions come from transport, and the industry's carbon emissions have been increasing.
