Yahoo Autos German Transport Minister Calls Internal Combustion Ban "Utter Nonsense"
As we reported over the weekend, Germany's Bundesrat voted recently to completely ban all internal combustion engines in new vehicles produced after 2030. It's an ambitious goal-one that German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrint isn't getting behind.
Shown above, a Mercedes-Benz G 500 4x4² celebrating the internal combustion engine's continued survival.
According to German wire service DPA, as translated by Forbes contributor Bertel Schmitt, Dobrint called the plan "utter nonsense." Dobrindt, whose office would need to approve the proposal, said that "a complete end of the internal combustion engine from 2030 on would be totally unrealistic."
The plan was put forth in Germany's Bundesrat, the country's legislative body representing the sixteen German states, and won support across the political aisle. While the Bundesrat does not exert authority over the European Union, German government edicts have a strong influence on the EU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
In other words, the Bundesrat's vote to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles after 2030 has no legislative teeth-it's an ideological move. But Dobrint still doesn't sound like he'll allow the bill to pass his desk.
And perhaps for good reason: The auto industry represents about 2.7 percent of Germany's gross domestic product, with vehicles and vehicle components making up 20 percent of that nation's exports.
Dobrindt's comments to DPA indicate that, while he sees it's important to encourage zero-emissions vehicle development, he expects internal combustion to stay around in some form for a long time yet.
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