Accelerating the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in the Transportation Sector through an Open Approach to Technology

For two days, the international engine community once again gathered in Baden-Baden to discuss the latest technological developments, global market trends, and policy issues. Over 300 experts and decision-makers experienced a diverse conference program featuring keynotes from leading figures and 30 technical presentations. These sessions, held in parallel, focused on three key areas: passenger car engine technology, commercial vehicle engine technology, and sustainable fuels & energy.
 

Mobility of the Future and Social Aspects

In his opening keynote, Frank Sell, Chairman of the Bosch Mobility General Works Council, addressed the topic of social responsibility in the context of the mobility transformation. In his video message, he made it clear that the industry’s transformation must be “social, ecological, and economic.” The reality, however, currently looks quite different: “We are seeing massive job cuts in the automotive industry, the likes of which we have never experienced before, and which are already having disruptive effects,” said Sell. The supplier sector is particularly affected. He therefore advocated for technological diversity: Instead of an “either/or” debate, the focus must be on “both/and” in order to maintain and expand technological leadership and preserve the competitiveness of the domestic automotive industry.
 

Just „Apparent Technological Neutrality“?

In his keynote address, attorney Dr. Benedikt Wolfers, a partner at Posser Spieth Wolfers & Partners and a renowned expert in regulatory law, examined the EU’s current plans for CO₂ fleet legislation. “From a purely regulatory perspective, the Commission’s proposals to date continue to pursue the industrial policy goal of focusing technology in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles on battery-electric propulsion and phasing out combustion engine technology, regardless of whether it can be operated in a CO₂-neutral manner or not.” Against this backdrop, he spoke of “only apparent technology neutrality.”
 

A Life-Cycle Comparison of Fuels

Marc Sens, Head of the Research & Technology Division at IAV GmbH, called for a more in-depth examination of the entire life cycle of various fuels: “We should agree on the path that enables the fastest and most cost-effective transition away from fossil fuels – globally, not just within the EU’s borders.” In light of an IAV study on lifecycle analysis and the continued noticeable buyer reluctance toward BEVs, he recommended a middle ground: “A hybrid vehicle that runs on electricity in everyday use and is powered by green methanol, for example, on long-distance trips could be the bridge we need for the coming decades.”
 

Pursuing Multiple Technological Pathways Simultaneously

The perspective of vehicle manufacturers was clearly articulated in the keynote speeches by Dr. Martin Hrdlička, Head of Powertrain and Chassis Systems Development at Škoda Auto, and Timothy D’Herde, Head of Powertrain at Toyota Motor Europe, among others. “For us, the focus is on decarbonization – and to achieve this, we need to pursue various technological pathways in parallel. That is why we are pursuing a multi-pathway strategy with hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and also internal combustion engines that will be powered by CO₂-neutral fuels in the future,” explained Timothy D’Herde.

Dr. Tobias Block, Managing Director of Strategy at the eFuel Alliance, also spoke in favor of a future vehicle class in which internal combustion engines can be powered by 100 percent CO₂-neutral fuels: “This would give manufacturers the option to continue selling fleets of internal combustion engine vehicles in compliance with regulations – alongside battery-electric vehicles.” He expects e-fuels to be available in industrial quantities by 2030 at the latest: “There are over 300 announced e-fuel projects worldwide with a theoretical production capacity of around 20 billion liters in 2030.”
 

Demand for E-Fuels from the Defense Sector

An additional impetus for this could come from the defense sector. Shena Britzen, head of the hydrogen program at Rheinmetall, presented the “Giga PtX” project in a highly anticipated keynote speech. She identified “fuel availability” as the greatest vulnerability in defense readiness and emphasized that this cannot be compensated for with purely electric propulsion systems. The company plans to build hundreds of decentralized production facilities across Europe. The goal is to produce 20.5 million tons of synthetic fuel per year. “Each facility in the network operates self-sufficiently, primarily using electricity from solar and wind power. They produce fuels decentrally and on demand – such as marine diesel along the coasts, kerosene near airfields, and diesel across the country,” Shena Britzen outlined the plans. Since the plants are designed to meet high demand in the event of a crisis, production can also be used for civilian purposes in peacetime – “a defense asset that can be refinanced,” says Britzen. “No resilience without the internal combustion engine – but please, with e-fuels,” she concludes.
 

More Pragmatism, Less Dogmatism

In their closing presentation, the two speakers, Prof. Dr. Christian Beidl from the Technical University of Darmstadt and Prof. Dr. Thomas Koch from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, focused on “The Internal Combustion Engine as a Long-Term Solution.” Building on Shena Britzen’s presentation, they emphasized that this is the only propulsion concept capable of instantly converting high-density energy into work and power anytime, anywhere in the world. Both experts warned against “cognitive traps,” such as the notion that battery-electric drives inherently equate to zero emissions. Dr. Gerhard Holy of AVL List GmbH, who represented Lukas Walter at the event, echoed the call to move from dogmatism to pragmatism in his closing remarks. He outlined further potential for improvement in internal combustion engines and cited range extenders as an example, which already achieve efficiencies of 50 percent today. Given that the average fleet age in Europe ranges from 8 to 18 years depending on the country, he also sees significant potential for CO₂ savings through the increased use of e-fuels.
 

Panel Discussion and Accompanying Trade Exhibition

A panel discussion featuring high-profile speakers also addressed the topic “The Importance of the Internal Combustion Engine for the Economy and Climate Protection.” The accompanying trade exhibition, which showcased innovative products and services, drew just as much interest. Young professionals found the NextGen program to be the ideal platform for networking. The popular evening event for the engine community also offered opportunities for networking.
 

A Platform for the International Engine Community

The congress is organized annually by VDI Wissensforum and ATZlive and is regarded within the industry as the platform where tomorrow’s mobility is discussed openly, controversially, and with a forward-looking perspective. 
 

The 14th International Engine Congress will take place on February 23 and 24, 2027, in Baden-Baden. Registration at https://www.vdiconference.com/engine-congress/ and via the VDI Wissensforum Customer Center, P.O. Box 10 11 39, 40002 Duesseldorf, e-mail: wissensforum@vdi.de, phone: +49 211 6214-201, fax: -154.