The European Union’s planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is likely to be weakened, according to a senior member of the European parliament, in a move that could trigger a backlash from environmental groups.
Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s party, said the European Commission is expected to soften the rule so it no longer represents a complete ban on combustion engines. Rather than requiring zero CO₂ emissions from all new cars sold from 2035, manufacturers would instead be required to achieve a 90% reduction in fleet-wide emissions, allowing some hybrid vehicles to remain on the market.
The proposed change follows lobbying from Germany, Italy and much of the European automotive industry, which argue that the transition to electric vehicles is progressing more slowly than anticipated and that greater flexibility is needed to protect jobs and competitiveness. Weber said the move would help secure tens of thousands of industrial jobs across Europe.
Environmental campaigners and some manufacturers, including Volvo and Polestar, have criticised the shift, warning it could undermine the EU’s green deal and hand an advantage to Chinese electric vehicle makers. The European Commission has said discussions on the 2035 deadline are continuing, noting growing calls for more flexibility on CO₂ targets.
