Europe's Gas Car Ban Is About To Die

"Next Tuesday, the European Commission will be putting forward a clear proposal to abolish the ban on combustion engines," Manfred Weber, the leader of of the largest party in the European Parliament, said at a press conference in Heidelberg, Germany, per Reuters. He put the onus on customers to buy efficient products, rather than expecting manufacturers to build products customers reportedly don't want."

"I'd argue that's a simplistic and short-sighted view of the situation; the rise of Tesla, BYD and others proves that people absolutely do want the hassle-free ownership experience and simplicity of an EV. They just won't pay a major premium for it, and Western automakers' supply chain focus on gas cars has made it hard for them to offer competitive EVs at comparable prices."

"After a lot of lobbying, the European Union looks set to roll back its 2035 gas car ban. The new rules are a win for struggling automakers, but still require a 90% fleet-wide CO2 emissions reduction by 2035. European and U.S. automakers are already behind in the EV race, so slowing down introduces its own risks. Europe will reverse its plan to ban sales of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2035, a senior European Parliament member confirmed Friday."

The European Union is set to reverse its plan to ban new combustion-engine vehicle sales by 2035 while retaining a 90% fleet-wide CO2 emissions reduction requirement for 2035. The rollback follows intense lobbying and pressure from struggling Western automakers facing slower EV sales, shrinking China market share, and U.S. challenges. Manufacturers warned that mandatory EV targets risk forcing unprofitable vehicles onto consumers and undermining global competitiveness. EU leaders have shifted responsibility to consumers to choose efficient products. Consumer interest in EV convenience exists, but high premiums and legacy gas-focused supply chains have limited Western automakers' competitive EV offerings.

Read at insideevs.com