There are several different concepts for the drive system of the future. Electric engine? Hybrid drive? Fuel cell? Or the good old combustion engine after all – powered by CO2-neutral e-fuel, i.e. with synthetic fuel produced with the
There are several different concepts for the drive system of the future. Electric engine? Hybrid drive? Fuel cell? Or the good old combustion engine after all – powered by CO2-neutral e-fuel, i.e. with synthetic fuel produced with the help of renewable energy?
In the long term, electromobility is considered to be the key to CO2-neutral private transport. How long the combustion engine will continue to be the transitional solution depends not only on political decision-makers but also and above all on progress in the development of battery technology and on the widespread availability of charging infrastructure – the requirements are longer range at economic cost. Experts think that combustion engines will be continuing to play a role for a long time in the transition period and afterwards as well.
According to a study by FEV, one of the biggest independent development service providers in the world in the automotive field, less than one per cent of all the vehicles sold around the world in 2016 were primarily driven by electricity. The engine experts are working on the assumption that the majority of all the vehicles sold in Europe in 2030 will still have a combustion engine (75 to 85 per cent), although most of them (about 90 per cent) will be in hybridised powertrains. The global situation is not expected to be much different. Even if there is a strong increase in electrification of the powertrain, most drives will still have combustion engines in 2030 too – and the FEV experts emphasise that these combustion engines will need to operate in very varied drive topologies.
The majority of engine experts agree that drive systems will be electrified in future. Professor Hermann Rottengruber from Magdeburg University is certain: “The switch to purely electrical vehicles will be taking place via hybrid drive systems.” He expects a hybrid powertrain with a combustio