Banning Combustion Engines: The EU’s Expensive Shortcut to Nowhere
What’s being banned?
From 2035 onward, the European Union will effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. No hybrids, no plug-ins, no synthetic-fuel capable combustion engines. Just full electrification—or else. The law is final, the direction clear. But is the logic sound?
Let’s look under the hood
1. The EV carbon “savings” dilemma
Yes, tailpipe emissions are zero. But that doesn’t mean EVs are carbon neutral. According to a 2021 report by the IEA, producing an electric vehicle—especially the battery—creates 40–60% more CO₂ emissions than a standard petrol car. It takes between 50,000 and 100,000 kilometers to break even, depending on your energy mix. If you’re charging in coal-heavy Poland, that “green” car might take longer to offset than it takes to wear out.
2. Cobalt, lithium, and children
Much of the EU’s EV strategy is quietly powered by the Democratic Republic of Congo—where 70% of global cobalt comes from. Multiple investigations, including one by Amnesty International, reveal rampant child labour and inhumane working conditions. But no worries. As long as your car emits zero grams of CO₂ per km in Berlin, the ethics can be outsourced to Africa.
3. The grid panic no one talks about
According to Eurelectric, electrifying Europe’s car fleet would double current electricity demand by 2040. This implies massive investment in grid infrastructure—costing upwards of €500 billion. Where’s the strategy? What happens when millions plug in at 7 p.m. during a January freeze? Hint: candles and complaining.
The economic iceberg ahead
1. EVs are still too expensive
The average price of a new EV in the EU is €47,000 (ACEA 2024), compared to €32,000 for ICE cars. That’s a luxury product for most people, even with subsidies. Germany already slashed EV incentives—and saw EV sales crash by 65% in Q1 2024. How do you sell electric dreams when the public can’t afford the charger, let alone the car?
2. Job losses incoming
A combustion engine has around 1,400 parts. An electric drivetrain? About 200. That translates to fewer suppliers, fewer mechanics, and fewer jobs. The PwC 2021 study estimates up to 500,000 job losses in EU’s auto sector by 2035. So while we “build back greener,” many factories may just shut their doors permanently.
3. Synthetic fuels ignored
Zero-carbon fuels (e-fuels) are being developed by Porsche, Bosch and others. These fuels allow ICE cars to run clean. But the EU barely acknowledges them. It’s as if innovation only counts if there’s a lithium battery attached to it.
The illusion of choice
This isn’t technology-neutral policy. It’s top-down prohibition. Why not set CO₂ targets and let solutions compete—EVs, hybrids, hydrogen, biofuels? Instead, we ban an entire class of technology, then pat ourselves on the back while importing Chinese batteries and Congolese cobalt.
What’s the real agenda?
For Brussels, it’s simple optics. Banning combustion cars is easy to explain, easy to sell, and easy to cheerlead. But policy isn’t theatre. A responsible transition should balance environment, affordability, energy stability, and jobs. This ban does not.
Final verdict
Yes, we need cleaner transport. But forcing a one-size-fits-all electric future while ignoring cost, complexity, and global supply chains is reckless. This is less about saving the planet, and more about saving political face.
Innovation should be encouraged—not banned. Otherwise, we may end up with an “emission-free” car industry that’s economically and ethically bankrupt.