Support Grows for German Plan to Ban IC Engine Sales by 2030

A proposal to halt sales by 2030 of new cars powered by internal combustion engines is gaining bipartisan support in the Bundesrat, Germany’s federal council, says Der Spiegel.

The newspaper cites a decision by the council in favor of the mandate. The report adds that Germany may urge the European Union to adopt the same target, which would ban internal combustion engines and mandate zero-emission powertrains in new cars.

Backers say the plan is essential if Germany and Europe expect to cut greenhouse gas emission limits as the EU pledged to do in ratifying the Paris Agreement earlier this month. The pact, which lacks specific targets and imposes no penalties for noncompliance, aims to limit the increase in global average temperature to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. The accord will require countries to begin taking action in 2020.

Doing so would have an obviously profound impact on Europe’s auto industry. One effect would be a sharp drop in employment, since vehicles powered by electricity are simpler to make. Reuters figures electric powertrains require only 10% as many workers as those that use far more complex internal combustion engines.