Five Countries' Intent to Ban Sales of Non-Electric Vehicles

Germany, Norway, France, India, and the UK plan to ban the sale of non-electric vehicles in their countries within the next 22 years. Germany is one of the first countries to implement this, having passed a law in 2016 that prohibits the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles starting in 2030. With this law coming into effect, one of the largest car manufacturers in the world and one of the three leading countries in the automotive industry will permanently say goodbye to the production of gasoline and diesel engines. This year's auto show in Frankfurt also showed that German companies, especially Mercedes-Benz, have begun their efforts to produce electric and smart vehicles. This is happening in a country where many inventions related to internal combustion engines have occurred. Mercedes-Benz aims to extend the range of its electric vehicles to 600 kilometers per charge in the coming years. The company also has an extensive plan for using hydrogen in fuel cell units. At the Frankfurt show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the fuel cell version of the GLC SUV, which generates the electricity needed for its electric motors using hydrogen. The total power of the electric motors in this vehicle is 200 horsepower, and it can travel 440 kilometers on a single hydrogen refill. Refilling the hydrogen tanks of this vehicle takes only three minutes, which is significantly less time than charging a battery. This method is likely one of the main strategies for German automakers to produce electric vehicles after 2030. In fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen is mixed with oxygen from the air, resulting in the production of water and electricity. The electricity is then used by the electric motor to drive the vehicle. However, the biggest challenge facing this technology is the safety and storage of hydrogen at high pressure or in liquid form. Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in nature, and burning hydrogen produces only water. The challenge lies in hydrogen storage. Hydrogen boils at minus 252 degrees Celsius at sea level pressure, making liquefying hydrogen very complex and costly; compressing it also involves very sophisticated technology. One practical method is to store hydrogen using hydrides, which offers great potential for future vehicles. But what distinguishes fuel cell vehicles from electric vehicles, making future cars more inclined towards fuel cells? The important point is the faster refueling or charging time in fuel cell vehicles. With current technology, these vehicles can be refueled in 5 minutes, while charging an electric vehicle takes much longer. Another crucial point is the cleaner operation of fuel cell vehicles. The electricity supplied for electric vehicles may come from fossil sources, ultimately harming the environment by producing greenhouse gases like current vehicles, while the electricity for fuel cell vehicles comes from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. Germany is not the first country to implement a ban on internal combustion vehicles; Norway is one of the first countries to prohibit the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles starting in 2025. After 2030, even trucks in this country will not be allowed to use diesel. The UK and France, however, have a later ban compared to Germany and Norway, with the sale of fossil fuel vehicles prohibited from 2040. Among developing countries, India is a pioneer in banning the sale of gasoline or diesel vehicles, aiming for no fossil fuel vehicles to be sold in the country by 2030. However, there are still many obstacles to producing electric vehicles in developing countries. Besides the lack of adequate infrastructure, the high cost of electric vehicles is a significant factor. The cheapest Tesla model costs $30,000, while in a country like India, most vehicles range from $3,000 to $10,000. Another major problem is that if around 90 million electric vehicles are to be produced annually worldwide, a way must be found to generate electricity for this number of vehicles using non-fossil methods. Additionally, the waste from lithium batteries for millions of vehicles could become one of the environmental issues of the future.