On Wednesday, members of the European Parliament concluded the exhausting 16 hours of negotiations in Luxembourg with the formal adoption of measures that will affect passenger cars and light commercial vehicles during the rapid transition from petrol and diesel to electric. The ban is just one of many measures aimed at reducing CO2 emissions across the EU, effectively reducing 100% of new car exhaust emissions by the middle of the next decade. When the Italian government proposed exempting some of the world’s most respected exotic brands from the embargo – namely Ferrari and Lamborghini, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume condemned the idea of any exemptions despite the fact that the company had invested in a synthetic fuel earlier this period. year. Amendment 121, or as it is better known, the “Ferrari Amendment”, will ease the requirements for low-volume brands that produce less than 10,000 vehicles per year. The so-called niche companies will not have the same intermediate emission reduction targets as other major automakers and will essentially be extended until the de facto ban takes effect in 2035. More specifically, this benefits luxury brands like Lamborgh, Ferrari R Royce and others. Both Germany and Italy have petitioned the council to consider future provisions for carbon-neutral alternative energy sources. The EU has reportedly agreed to consider using alternative fuels, such as synthetic fuels and hydrogen, although limited details in the legislation have merely cast uncertainty on the carmakers that may plan to use these fuels. However, this will not be the biggest obstacle for the car industry. Instead, it will provide the necessary supplies for the production of batteries. Volkswagen chief financial officer Arno Antlitz says the carmaker envisions a challenge to build enough batteries by 2035 to make the ban viable. “It is a challenging goal. We believe it is achievable,” Antlitz told Reuters. “The most difficult issue is not the increase of car factories. The most difficult issue will be the increase of the battery supply chain.” The French Minister for Ecological Transition, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, acknowledged that the ban was “a major challenge” for the car industry. However, he noted that the transition to electricity was a “necessity”, as both the US and China have invested heavily in electricity as the future of personal transportation. Do you have a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: [email protected]
