China: From electric car pioneer to the world’s largest eFuels producer

Is “pioneer” China really focusing everything on electric cars, as is repeatedly and persistently claimed?

Of course: NO!

As early as 2024, the political journal Rundblick reported that, in addition to electromobility, China is also ramping up the topic of synthetic fuels “on a grand scale” and will thus also “become the world’s largest producer of e-fuels”.

It also refers to statements made at an automotive conference:

China expert Nicole Steiger dispelled the myth that the world’s largest automotive market will rely solely on electromobility in the future.

“An incredible amount is currently being done in China on the subject of synthetic fuels. It is being ramped up dramatically,” reported the managing director of JSC Automotive, a consulting firm specializing in China, and predicted: “Synthetic fuels will gain in importance from the end of the 2020s and by 2060, e-fuels will power 40 percent of the passenger car fleet in China.” The share of electromobility, on the other hand, will only be 25 percent.”

It was also stated at the time: “The combustion engine will remain an important development path for automobiles for a long time to come.”

It is a pity that this expert view is still not listened to enough in the public debate, which is usually purely ideological and emotional.

China, at least, had long since recognized the signs of the times in 2024 and opened the door wide to a dual strategy and thus openness to technology. Let’s see when the EU will finally follow this modern spirit with its outdated “all-electric” strategy!