A Baden-Wurttemberg automotive task force is urging Germany and the European Union to loosen emissions compliance rules and support lower-carbon fuels, seeking more room for manufacturers during the sector’s transition.
A 10-point agenda reported by Badische Neueste Nachrichten and Stuttgarter Nachrichten seeks greater flexibility for automakers under EU fleet emissions targets. It proposes counting low-carbon materials and fuels toward compliance. The task force says recognizing those inputs earlier could help manufacturers avoid penalties for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
The agenda also proposes a separate vehicle category for those running solely on biogenic fuels or synthetic fuels made with electricity. For infrastructure, it calls for more hydrogen and renewable fuels, a larger charging network for cars and trucks, and faster grid connections and permitting.
The reports identify representatives of Audi, Mercedes, Daimler Truck, Porsche and Bosch as task force members. The group also includes labor union IG Metall and employers’ association Gesamtmetall.
The Baden-Wurttemberg economy ministry says participants agreed to create the task force at a meeting convened by Economy Minister Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut on July 8, 2026. They discussed the automotive industry’s economic condition, effects on local sites and the state’s competitiveness in the sector. Hoffmeister-Kraut said companies need “economically viable conditions” to manage the industry’s transformation.
