Deutsche Umwelthilfe opposes EU plan to classify combustion vehicles as emission-free
The environmental group warns that a proposed EU vehicle category could allow automakers to bypass emissions targets by utilizing biofuels.
German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has expressed strong opposition to a forthcoming vote in the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment. The committee is set to decide on a revision of CO2 fleet limit values on November 4, which includes the introduction of a new vehicle category: "Vehicles Running Exclusively on Eligible Fuels" (VEEF).
Under the proposed rules, conventional combustion engines could be labeled as entirely emission-free if powered by specific biofuels, such as those derived from crops. DUH warns that these fuels often result in significant greenhouse gas emissions due to land use intensity and that combustion engines will continue to emit harmful exhaust fumes regardless of the fuel used.
DUH CEO Jürgen Resch argued that the VEEF category undermines climate policy by allowing manufacturers to report a zero-emission fleet while continuing to sell fossil-fuel-based technologies. The organization fears this creates a loophole that ignores real-world emissions and shifts the focus away from the necessary transition to electric mobility.