
In the dispute over stricter climate protection rules for carmakers, VW group boss herbert diess has denounced the german energy mix.
The electric car will not be able to keep up with the diesel in terms of CO2 emissions over long distances in the foreseeable future, he warned in the "suddeutsche zeitung". "Because the truth is: they’re not switching to electric, they’re switching to coal-fired."The production of one battery with coal-fired electricity would produce five metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). "And if they then run on coal-fired electricity, e-mobility really becomes a madness."
EU countries had agreed that new cars should emit an average of 35 percent less CO2 in 2030 than in 2020. The federal government originally wanted only a 30 percent reduction – which german carmakers considered feasible. Other countries wanted a reduction of 40 percent and more. The climate footprint of otherwise clean e-cars is significantly affected by the sources of electricity for batteries in operation and production.