The author points out that Germany’s automobile industry is facing the threat of exceeding EU emission requirements. This is an example of logos in the essay. To persuade the readers, the author explains that the allowable EU emissions are 59 grams of CO2 per km while the emission of cars in 2016 was 118 g/km, but rose to above 120 g/km in 2018. He also states that Volkswagen cheated on the emission standards as it emitted a high amount of carbon dioxide that exceeded the EU limits.
The author also presents another argument in the second paragraph that the carbon dioxide regulations set by the EU are difficult to be achieved. The explanation he gives for this argument is that the EU set vehicle emissions at 59 grams CO2/km while vehicles emit 120 g/km. To persuade the readers that the EU limits cannot be reached, the author explains that the most gifted engineers would not build ICEs that meet EU standards.
Another argument presented by the author is that the EU’s formula is a scam because electric vehicles emit more carbon dioxide than gasoline and diesel vehicles. However, the EU assumes that electric vehicles do not emit carbon dioxide. He convinces the audience that the EU's formula is a scam by explaining that the power plants that are relied on by electric vehicles also emit substantial amounts of carbon dioxide. He also states that EV batteries are produced using fossil fuels, and this offsets the supposed emission reduction.
The author uses ethos by stating that he has published a research paper together with the physicist Christoph Buchal. This helps him establish authority over the leaders to ensure that they trust him. He also uses the publishing of research paper as pathos to persuade the reader that electronic vehicles emit more carbon dioxide than diesel cars. Another evidence to support the argument that EVs emit more carbon dioxide is the data published by Volkswagen. The author also presents further evidence that confirms EVs emit more carbon dioxide than diesel cars by explaining that the Austrian thinktank Johanneum Research and German ADAC confirmed the findings. Electronic vehicles must also drive 219,000 km to outperform diesel cars on emissions, however, cars do not last more than 180,000 km in Europe.
The author uses ethos, pathos, and logos effectively in the paper. There are a lot of arguments in the paper that are supported by evidence. He concludes that the EU regulations will only cause more harm and that the EU should rely on market-based instruments.