European Ban on Combustion Engines Faces Roadblocks as Automakers Push for Looser Rules
Brussels – The planned European Union ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2035 is encountering important resistance from the automotive industry, which is lobbying for more adaptability in regulations and a continued role for hybrid vehicles. Proposals under consideration would possibly weaken the effectiveness of the ban and delay the transition to fully electric transportation.
The core of the debate centers on how to account for real-world emissions from hybrid cars and the pace at which manufacturers must meet emissions reduction targets. While the EU aims to drastically cut CO2 emissions, car brands are seeking concessions that would allow them to continue selling vehicles with combustion engines beyond the proposed deadline. This comes as research from the European Commission reveals that hybrid cars emit considerably more CO2 than indicated by official testing, often due to owners not regularly charging their batteries. These real-world emissions were slated to be factored into calculations from 2027, but manufacturers are pushing back against this measure.
Automakers are advocating for several changes. They want hybrid cars to remain viable as a “transitional technology” even after 2035 and are proposing a system where manufacturers producing smaller electric cars would be rewarded with credits - effectively allowing their overall fleet emissions to include a higher proportion from gasoline or diesel vehicles. specifically, they suggest that the zero emissions from these smaller electric cars coudl be weighted at 1.5 or even 2 times their actual value, offsetting emissions from other vehicles.
Another proposal gaining traction would allow car manufacturers to meet the 2030 interim target and the 2035 final target over a more extended timeframe. This echoes a similar relaxation already approved by both Member States and the European Parliament earlier this year, which allowed automakers to average their emissions over three years (2025, 2026, and 2027) to meet the 2025 target.
