More climate protection in transport now under way

The Federal Council today passed the 10th Federal Immission Control Ordinance (10th BImSchV) and the Clean Vehicles Procurement Act (SaubfahrzeugBeschG). In the future, consumers will be able to fill up with clean diesel fuels from exclusively renewable sources, such as HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oils) and e-fuels (according to DIN EN 15940).

"Today is a good day for the environment and the climate. Renewable fuels can make a significant contribution to defossilization, especially of the existing fleet, and thus to achieving climate goals in the transport sector. On the path to climate-neutral transport, renewable fuels are the appropriate and urgently needed addition to the mainstay of electromobility," VDA President Hildegard Müller said.

The potential of renewable fuels in climate protection becomes very clear when looking at the vehicle stock: Even if the federal government's goal of 15mn electric cars by 2030 is achieved, there will still be around 35mn vehicles with combustion engines on German roads. "The vehicle stock must also be able to make a contribution to climate protection - renewable fuels are the central lever for this," Müller said.

Both legislative texts were passed because the 10th BImSchV only sets standards for paraffinic diesel fuels, but not the energy source. Possible energy sources are determined by the SaubfahrzeugBeschG. In order to avoid unintentional funding of fossil paraffinic diesel fuels, it was decided to exclude fossil energy sources via the SaubfahrzeugBeschG.

"The Federal Council has cleared the way for paraffinic diesel fuels from exclusively renewable sources. This is crucial for climate protection and at the same time increases social acceptance of these fuels," the VDA President added.