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Germany's Bild newspaper criticized the EU's claim that electric vehicles (EVs) are carbon neutral, citing a report from the Technical University of Munich which states that battery-electric vehicles reduce carbon emissions by only "41% on average" compared to combustion engine vehicles, without accounting for emissions from manufacturing and electricity. The report suggests that emissions should be assessed over a vehicle's entire life cycle, emphasizing that while EVs have high production emissions primarily due to battery production, these are typically offset after driving about 17,000 kilometers (10,500 miles). Georg Bieker, an environmental researcher, noted that the full advantage of EVs will increase as production and operation become less carbon-intensive, and highlighted the significant environmental cost associated with battery production, including the use of large amounts of water for lithium extraction.

Germany's Bild tabloid criticized the EU's claim that electric vehicles are carbon neutral, following a Technical University of Munich (TUM) report stating that battery-electric vehicles reduce carbon emissions by only "41% on average" compared to combustion engine vehicles, while urging a life-cycle emissions assessment. Prominent political figures, like Bavarian Premier Markus Söder, called to end the EU's phaseout of internal combustion engines scheduled for 2035, claiming it lacked scientific basis. Additionally, the report highlighted that while battery production adds emissions, these are typically offset after approximately 17,000 kilometers (10,500 miles) of driving, emphasizing ongoing concerns about battery environmental costs, particularly in resource mining.

Germany's Bild tabloid criticized the European Union's claim that electric vehicles are carbon neutral, citing a report from the Technical University of Munich which revealed that battery-electric vehicles only reduce carbon emissions by an average of 41% compared to combustion engines, failing to account for the entire life cycle emissions. The report suggested that emissions ought to be considered from production to fuel consumption, highlighting that major automakers like BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen support this broader assessment. Additionally, while electric vehicles have higher production emissions—40% more than gasoline vehicles—these emissions are offset after approximately 17,000 kilometers of driving.