Cars run on e-fuel would emit five times more carbon dioxide than electric vehicles

The decarbonisation of transport is proving to be one of the biggest challenges for governments across Europe as they attempt to implement emissions targets by 2030 and then 2050.

Cars that would run on so-called e-fuel would emit five times more carbon dioxide than electric vehicles (EVs), leading to calls for the EU to stand firm on insisting they must be wholly carbon-neutral.

Under pressure from EU member states with extensive car manufacturing industries, such as Germany, the European Commission earlier this year came up with a workaround to allow sales of new cars with a traditional internal combustion engine after 2035 if they are powered by climate-neutral e-fuels. 

E-fuels are said to be synthetic fossil fuels made through the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen, before mixing with carbon dioxide to create a liquid. 

Although they would still emit greenhouse gases, countries like Germany argue this would be mitigated during the decarbonised manufacturing process, thereby making climate neutrality a reality.

Elements of the fossil fuel industry are still lobbying the European Commission to water down the condition that e-fuelled cars be 100% climate-neutral after 2035, while the E-fuel Alliance Industry Group claimed it would be "nearly impossible" to achieve.

They want to apply 70% carbon-neutral criteria, as is the case under current EU renewable energy law.

According to a new analysis from the influential non-governmental organisation, Transport & Environment (T&E), cars powered by e-fuel would emit almost five times more CO2 than EVs if the EU went with the 70% standard.

"Under such a system, e-petrol cars would be considered CO2 neutral but would still emit around five times more CO2 emissions than equivalent EV models. Additionally, e-petrol cars emit air pollutants, including toxic nitrogen oxides and carcinogenic particles," T&E said in its analysis.

Cars policy manager at T&E Alex Keynes said: “The European Commission has said e-fuels need to be carbon-neutral to escape the ban on new polluting cars after 2035. 

"For years the e-fuels lobby told us how clean their fuels are, so it is incomprehensible why they could not meet the criteria as proposed. It’s up to EU governments to stand by the commission’s carbon-neutral requirement.”

EU member states will give their final input on the European Commission's proposal by the end of the year, it is believed.

The decarbonisation of transport is proving to be one of the biggest challenges for governments across Europe as they attempt to implement emissions targets by 2030 and then 2050.

In Ireland, an assessment from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year cast doubt on the potential to slash transport emissions by 50% as targeted in the climate plan.

Transport emissions are predicted to fall by between 1% and 35%, despite a 50% target, it said.

However, that is only if measures such as 940,000 electric vehicles on the roads and a slashing of a fifth of journeys by 2030 are implemented, it warned.

Freight will be the biggest source of road transport greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the EPA added.

Supporters of EVs have increased their calls for incentives to be ramped up in order for the 940,000 to be met, saying the current pace means only half that number is realistic.

EV registrations fell nearly 20% in September compared to the same period last year.