Mr. Lindner, appreciate your dedication. Warm Regards, Oliver Blume - "Respectfully addressing Mr. Lindner, appreciation conveyed for your dedicated efforts."
Finance Minister Lindner Pleads for Support on E-Fuel Policy from Porsche CEO Blume
A recent disclosure of text messages between Christian Lindner, the Federal Minister of Finance and FDP leader, and Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, has shed light on a lobbying effort by Lindner to include e-fuels in the EU's planned ban on combustion engines. The exchange, published by the non-profit portal "Abgeordnetenwatch," reveals Lindner's plea for support from Blume in his attempt to reopen the CO2 regulations for the automotive industry.
It all started with Lindner's request to Blume in 2022, as the EU Ministerial Council prepared to vote on the combustion engine ban. Lindner urged Blume to make an appeal for the potential of e-fuels, a synthetic fuel that theoretically allows combustion engine cars to drive CO2 neutrally, albeit at extreme costs and with technical hurdles. Lindner aimed to equip himself with an industry appeal to support his push for the EU regulations to be revised to include e-fuels.
Blume promptly responded to Lindner's request, offering "full support from Porsche." This dialogue between Lindner and Blume was the catalyst for a major political dispute in the EU. Lindner advocated for the partial revocation of the agreed-upon CO2 rules for the automotive industry, citing the benefits of e-fuels. Green Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, however, supported the original regulations. Thus, the issue also became a point of contention within the traffic light coalition, with Lindner seeking support.
The EU's debate centered on e-fuels, which are seen as a potential solution for reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector. However, their implementation faces challenges, including high costs and overcoming technical hurdles. Despite Lindner's insistence on reopening the EU regulations to explicitly include e-fuels, the Green Environment Minister, Steffi Lemke, aimed to approve the regulations as they were.
The public became aware of this exchange when Blume boasted about his close connection to Lindner during a Porsche works meeting in July. The ZDF's "Die Anstalt" show reported on it on July 19th, sparking a wave of public criticism. Damage control has become necessary, as questions arise about the extent to which Lindner's policy might have been influenced by the Porsche CEO.
Following the public backlash, Lindner sought a phone call with Blume to discuss the matter further. Initially, Blume denied making the statements attributed to him, but later admitted that he had only discussed the topic in an internal Porsche meeting. Lindner has since considered legal action against ZDF and BILD for disseminating false information.
As the auto industry grapples with the challenges of transitioning to battery-electric vehicles, the e-fuel discussion still raises questions and complications. While the European Union has set a ban on the sale of new vehicles with combustion engines by 2035, there is ongoing debate regarding the regulation's implementation and potential revisions. The influence of specific dialogues, such as the one between Lindner and Blume, on e-fuel policies is not clearly documented in available reports.
Sources:
- "Combustion Engine Ban: What's Next for Europe's Auto Industry?" Deutsche Welle, 10 Dec. 2021, www.dw.com/en/combustion-engine-ban-whats-next-for-europes-auto-industry/a-60557489.
- "Abgeordnetenwatch Veröffentlicht Lindner-SMS-Austausch mit Porsche-CEO Blume." Abgeordnetenwatch, 19 July 2022, www.abgeordnetenwatch.de/blog/2022/07/19-lindner-sms/.
- "EU Moves to Review Climate Targets Amid Pressure from Poland and Others." Reuters, 10 June 2022, www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-moves-review-climate-targets-amid-pressure-poland-others-2022-06-10/.
- "Autos: Europe Braces for Chinese Onslaught." Financial Times, 16 Mar. 2022, www.ft.com/content/b44815fe-ecc0-43dc-96e9-2195ba6136e2.
- "EU Faces Pressure to Delay Action on Climate Change as Car Industry Mulls Legal Challenge." The Guardian, 6 Oct. 2022, www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/06/eu-faces-pressure-to-delay-action-on-climate-change-as-car-industry- Mulls-legal-challenge.
- The Commission, mindful of the ongoing debate about e-fuels in the EU, has also taken a number of steps to ensure that its proposals for the renewable-energy industry, including policy-and-legislation surrounding finance and energy business, will be implemented, addressing the technical hurdles and high costs associated with e-fuels.
- As the general news surrounding the lobbying efforts of Finance Minister Lindner continues to unfold, Green Environment Minister Steffi Lemke reaffirms her position in support of the current regulations for the automotive industry, citing the importance of reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector and the potential risks of revising the rules to include e-fuels.
- Amidst politics and the controversy surrounding the exchange of text messages between Lindner and Blume, the renewable-energy industry, automotive sector, and politicians alike are closely monitoring the developments, as the outcome could significantly impact the future of the regulations governing energy, business, and policy-and-legislation.
- With the ongoing transition of the auto industry towards battery-electric vehicles and the EU's proposed ban on the sale of new vehicles with combustion engines by 2035, it is critical to document and address the influence of specific dialogues, such as the one between Lindner and Blume, on e-fuel policies to ensure a fair and sustainable future for renewable-energy and the industry at large.
