The European Union has scrapped its plan to ban the sale of combustion-engine cars from 2035.
From 2035 onwards, carmakers will instead need to comply with a 90 per cent tailpipe emissions reduction target. The remaining 10 per cent of emissions will need to be compensated through the use of low-carbon steel produced in the EU, or from e-fuels and biofuels.
This means plug-in hybrids, range extenders, mild-hybrids, and internal combustion engine vehicles can still be sold as new beyond 2035, in addition to full electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles.
The EU’s decision to scrap the 2035 combustion engine ban does not come as a surprise. It follows growing opposition to the deadline as Germany, Italy, and Hungary lobbied against it, viewing the deadline as being unrealistic.
