ARBÖ criticism of the combustion engine shutdown

ARBÖ criticism of the combustion engine shutdown

“The end of vehicles with combustion engines is wrong and negligent, because Europe is thereby giving up on a key industry, becoming completely dependent on China and other major powers in the Far East and foregoing the opportunity to become a pioneer for new technologies such as biofuels, hydrogen or e-fuels,” ARBÖ Secretary General Gerald Kumnig does not hold back in criticizing the EU Parliament's decision. In principle, the ARBÖ is in favor of measures that make traffic cleaner in all areas, emphasizes Kumnig. In his opinion, the combustion engine offers even more opportunities to become cleaner and more ecological. However, the industry should look for the solutions and not political committees.

Even though electromobility has made an impressive leap in development in recent years, according to Kumnig, there is still a significant need for improvement in some areas - such as charging time and charging infrastructure or the purchase price of the vehicles - in order to achieve broader acceptance among the population. In addition, it should be taken into account that the production of electrically powered vehicles currently requires limited raw materials that may not be able to be substituted in the near future or will not be available to European manufacturers. “In the interests of effective and sustainable environmental protection, we demand openness to technology,” said the ARBÖ Secretary General, and continued: “It is therefore to be hoped that the EU Commission will make the right decision when it re-examines in 2026 and still allow climate-neutral produced e-fuels.”