EU's 2035 petrol and diesel car ban will be watered down, says senior MEP

"The EU's outright ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is poised to be watered down, a senior European parliament politician has said. The decision, expected to be unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday in Strasbourg, would be a divisive move, angering environmental campaigners who argue it would amount to the gutting of the EU's flagship green deal."

"Under the deal, approved two years ago, all cars coming on the market from 2035 had to be zero CO2 emissions, meaning the end of the road for hybrid vehicles as well as those running solely on fossil fuels. However, Manfred Weber, an MEP and the president of the European People's party group of conservative and centrist parties in the European parliament, told Germany's Bild newspaper that the 2035 cutoff date would be softened next week."

"The technology ban on combustion engines is off the table, he said. All engines currently manufactured in Germany can therefore continue to be produced and sold. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and most of the car industry have lobbied for the ban to be changed to allow the continued sale of hybrid vehicles. They are likely to hail the EU's shift as a victory for common sense, giving European carmakers more time to transition to electric vehicles (EVs)."

The European Union is poised to soften the planned 2035 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars, potentially removing a technology ban on combustion engines. The change would allow engines currently manufactured in Germany to continue to be produced and sold and could permit continued sale of plug-in hybrid vehicles, including more powerful long-range hybrids with combustion backups. National leaders and much of the car industry have lobbied for the adjustment to protect industrial jobs and ease the transition to electric vehicles. Environmental campaigners and some manufacturers such as Volvo and Polestar oppose the shift, citing competitive advantages for Chinese rivals.

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