Germany reversed its previous target of only 15 million pure trams by 2030 in favor of including hybrids

German Transport Minister Volker Wissing said on Monday that the German government's goal of "15 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2030" includes pure trams and hybrids. In an agreement released in November, Germany's ruling coalition mentioned that the new German government plans to get at least 15 million pure trams on the road by 2030, up from the 10 million set by the previous government.

It is understood that as companies and governments build infrastructure for the large-scale use of all-electric vehicles, some see hybrids as a transitional product. In response, environmental groups criticize that hybrids are at least as destructive as fossil fuels because of their low charging frequency and light weight, which means they use more fuel.

Stefan Gelbhaar, a spokesman for transport policy for the Bundestag of Germany, said: "We have reached a clear target in the alliance agreement to have at least 15 million all-electric passenger cars by 2030. This is essential to reduce emissions. I am confident that Transport Minister Volker Wissing will make clear and rapid progress in this regard. ”

Wissing reportedly said that while hybrids are also contributing to emissions reductions, ideally, the target hope of 15 million vehicles will come from electric vehicles.

In addition, when talking about the energy supply of synthetic fuels (e-fuels), Wissing said that the possibility of using e-fuels to power internal combustion engine vehicles was not ruled out. It is understood that e-fuels are made by combining hydrogen with carbon dioxide extracted from the atmosphere, providing an environmentally friendly power for internal combustion engine cars, but the cost of producing this fuel is high, and a large amount of renewable energy is required to achieve carbon neutrality.

Previously, Wissing had said that e-fuel was in short supply and therefore should only be used in industries such as shipping and aviation. After being criticized by the German Automobile Association, Wissing said that the opening up of technology is the most important thing, and that electronic fuels can be used in heavy vehicles.