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European Carmakers Tout EVs but Must Sell Diesels Too

This week’s Frankfurt auto show will highlight a bevy of upcoming electrified vehicles from German carmakers.
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This week’s Frankfurt auto show will highlight a bevy of upcoming electrified vehicles from German carmakers. But those models won’t gain traction in time to help manufacturers meet EU greenhouse-gas emission standards for 2021, warns Bloomberg News.

The result squeeze will push manufacturers to continue selling diesels to avoid regulatory penalties, even as they hike spending on electric powertrains, Bloomberg says. The crisis has prompted two high-level diesels forums between German carmakers and government leaders. It also is generating calls for carmakers to shift more quickly to EVs.

Some analysts predict that diesel sales, which accounted for half the European market in 2015, could plunge to half that ratio within a few years. Without EVs to make up the difference, critics tell Bloomberg, German carmakers will lose its image as a technology leader.

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