Politics · Germany · 3 hrs ago
Germany’s environment minister says electric cars will prevail
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider says electric cars are the future of road transport.
He says they offer technical advantages and can make driving cheaper.
Schneider believes German automakers can catch up after falling behind on electric cars.
His comments come as the EU considers changing its plan to allow only zero-emission new cars from 2035.
The proposed change could let automakers sell new combustion-engine and hybrid cars after 2035, but it has not been approved.
The European Parliament’s environment committee is due to vote on Thursday, with a final parliamentary vote expected in December; EU member states must also agree before any change takes effect.
Germany’s environment minister, Carsten Schneider, said electric cars will prevail because he considers them technically superior and cheaper to run.
Schneider said German manufacturers now have strong electric-car offerings and expressed hope they can catch up.
An EU Parliament committee is due to consider a proposal allowing new combustion-engine and hybrid cars to be sold after 2035.
The proposal would loosen the current plan for only zero-emission cars to be registered in the EU from 2035.
The full Parliament is expected to vote in mid-December, and any change also requires agreement with the EU Council.
- Who
- Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, and the EU Parliament’s Environment Committee.
- What
- Schneider said electric cars will prevail. The committee is considering a proposal to allow new combustion-engine and hybrid cars to be sold after 2035.
- When
- The articles, published on November 3 and 4, 2026, said the committee vote was expected the following day; they differ on whether it would be Wednesday or Thursday. A full Parliament vote is expected in mid-December.
- Where
- The EU, with the committee vote taking place in Brussels.
- Why
- Schneider said electric cars are technically superior and cheaper to run. The EU’s existing zero-emission car rule is part of its goal of climate neutrality.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
WirtschaftsWoche reported that an EU Parliament committee was expected to vote on the proposed rule change the following afternoon.
n-tv reported Schneider’s view that electric cars would prevail and said the committee vote was expected on Thursday; the reports differ on the vote’s expected day.
A final vote by the full European Parliament is expected.
- Minister
- Carsten Schneider
- Current EU target
- From 2035, only zero-emission cars are to be registered
- Proposal
- Allow new combustion-engine and hybrid cars to be sold after 2035
- Committee
- European Parliament Environment Committee
- Final vote
- Expected in mid-December 2026
2 sources
What people are saying
Elektroautos werden sich in jedem Fall durchsetzen, weil sie technisch überlegen sind und man damit viel günstiger fahren kann
Die entscheidende Frage ist, wo sie künftig gebaut werden
Nachdem die Manager der Konzerne das Thema zu lange verschlafen haben, habe ich jetzt die Hoffnung, dass die Aufholjagd gelingt
Die deutschen Hersteller haben richtig gute elektrische Angebote