The timing fits. While the world climate conference is taking place in Cairo, Professor Thomas Koch from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is now presenting figures on the climate impact of combustion engines and electric drives. For a scientifically based comparison of both technologies, he and his team searched for the last kilowatt hour and the last gram of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) over the entire service life – from the raw material to recycling. The clear result: The electric car is already an environmental sow. And with our energy mix, it gets even dirtier.
This result is not surprising. In practice, whether good or bad is no longer a question of discussing data. Politicians made the decision with the friendly help of environmental lobbyists. For the Commission, Parliament and Council, it is enough to date that they have laid down the electric car in the legal text as “emission-free” and therefore “climate-friendly”. Basta!
Despite the wording of the law, anyone who describes an electric car as “emission-free” or “climate-friendly” is lying to themselves or the public.
Politicians have known this for years, but still keep up the pressure because they can only meet the EU’s emission reduction targets if everyone believes in the Basta definition. This is particularly true now that Brussels has raised the targets. From 2030, Germany should not only save 38 percent of CO2 emissions, but 50 percent. Politicians cannot do without the trickery with the “emission-free” electric car.
The same applies to companies that have dutifully invested hundreds of billions of euros in their strategic decisions in favor of electric drives and now have to rely on Brussels mathematics. And the municipalities see themselves in the same duty, driven by lobby groups.
In Egypt, for example, the strong words from Europe about the high goals set for Germany will certainly be well received. But that borders on self-deception. Because traffic will only be climate-neutral if targeted technologies are promoted quickly, for example climate-neutral fuels for combustion engines – on land, on water and in the air. (Peter Schwerdtmann/cen)