BMW i3 (Photo : Twitter)
Germany's upper house of parliament has passed a bill to ban gas and diesel engines by 2030. Members of Bundesrat passed the resolution to end internal combustion engines that will only allow carmakers to build zero-emission vehicles such as battery-electric cars and trucks. The Western Europe country hopes the European Union (EU) Commission will pass a similar resolution.
Der Spiegel reported the gas and diesel ban. The German resolution has no legal power on the EU but it could encourage the EU Commission headquartered in Brussels to pass a formal decision that would be enforced in most European countries.
It would also be a big step in achieving the Paris Agreement cuts for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The United Nations announced on October 5, Wednesday that the climate deal will go live on November 4.
This Paris global warming agreement was passed after 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions approved it. That included the EU and 10 other nations.
Bundesrat's resolution also impels the industry's tax structure to be reviewed. Tax breaks for diesel keeps demand high even as carbon emissions and global warming become a big concern around the world, according to CNET. Increasing taxes on diesel could encourage the public to buy green cars.
Germany has promised to cut CO2 emissions by up to 95 percent by 2050. The German government has estimated it would take about two decades to get diesel and gas-powered cars off the road after the 2030 ban.
German automakers seem to be prepared for an EU-wide ban on gas and diesel engines. Mercedes has released its EQ sub-brand as it starts shifting to electric vehicles (EVs), and Volkswagen has promised to roll out two dozen e-cars during the next decade.
BMW is using a slower method. This year it is rolling out several plug-in hybrids including a 7 Series model.
Other countries are also trying to ban fossil fuel-powered engines. Earlier this year Norway proposed cutting the production of gas engines.
In related news, Fiat Chrysler's Maserati recently announced plans to launch its first all-electric car by 2020, according to Engadget. The company's chief engineer Roberto Fedeli shared that the EV would be more like its GranTurismo coupe than the Tesla S sedan.
One big challenge will be the heavy weight of today's lithium-ion batteries. The company hopes that by 2020 battery tech will catch up with the Italian automaker's vision for electric engines.
Here's the 2017 BMW i3:
