Germans Demand More Cars with Internal Combustion Engines, Not Bicycles or Buses – Investor.bg – News Directory 3
In November 2025, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz formally urged the European Commission to ease the planned 2035 ban on new combustion-engine vehicles, arguing that automakers require additional time…
Germans are showing a clear preference for vehicles with internal combustion engines over bicycles and public transport, according to a recent survey highlighted by Investor.bg on April 23, 2026. This sentiment reflects broader trends in consumer attitudes toward mobility options in Germany, where traditional engines continue to hold appeal despite ongoing policy efforts to promote electric vehicles and sustainable transport.
The preference for internal combustion engine vehicles comes amid shifting dynamics in Germany's automotive and transportation landscape. While the European Union has maintained its long-term goal of phasing out new combustion engine car sales by 2035, recent developments indicate growing resistance to this timeline, particularly from German policymakers and industry stakeholders concerned about economic impacts and consumer readiness.
In November 2025, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz formally urged the European Commission to ease the planned 2035 ban on new combustion-engine vehicles, arguing that automakers require additional time to adapt to regulatory changes. His appeal underscored concerns about industrial competitiveness and the need for a more gradual transition that accounts for market realities and workforce stability in key manufacturing regions.
This position aligns with findings from a Deloitte study released in March 2025, which showed declining consumer interest in electric vehicles across several major global markets. In Germany, preference for internal combustion engines rose to 53% in 2025, up from 49% in 2024. Similar increases were observed in Japan (41%, up from 34%), India (54%, up from 49%), and China (38%, up from 33%), with the United States being the notable exception where combustion engines already held a high share of consumer preference.
The German government's approach to the combustion engine debate has included efforts to soften the EU's 2035 phase-out plan. In December 2025, Germany, along with Italy and six other EU member states, successfully advocated for a revision that would allow vehicles registered in 2036 to remain in use beyond the EU's 2050 climate-neutrality target year. Critics argue that this adjustment risks locking in emissions, prolonging dependence on imported fuels, and diverting investment from emerging technologies critical to European competitiveness.
Despite these policy shifts, certain indicators suggest ongoing movement toward electrification in specific segments. Data from October 2025 revealed that battery-electric vehicle registrations in Germany increased by nearly 50% year-on-year, marking one of the few growth areas in an otherwise stagnant automotive market. This contrast highlights a divergence between consumer sentiment favoring traditional engines and evolving market dynamics in the EV sector.
Industrial considerations remain central to Germany's stance on combustion engines. In Lower Saxony, a region employing over 100,000 workers in automotive-related industries, policymakers have emphasized the importance of preserving industrial capacity through a transition that integrates hybrid systems and synthetic fuels (e-fuels) powered by renewable energy. The regional strategy aims to balance economic continuity with environmental goals by retrofitting manufacturing facilities and scaling green hydrogen projects alongside internal combustion engine production.
These developments illustrate the complex interplay between consumer preferences, industrial policy, and climate objectives in Germany's transportation sector. While survey data indicates a persistent inclination toward conventional vehicles among German consumers, parallel trends in EV adoption and industrial adaptation suggest an ongoing, albeit uneven, shift toward alternative mobility solutions. The outcome of ongoing EU-level negotiations over the 2035 combustion engine ban will likely shape the pace and direction of this transition in the coming years.
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