EU: Petrol And Diesel Powered Vehicles May Last Longer Than 2035

The European Union should lift its ban on the sale of new combustion engine cars after 2035 to save its car industry, said Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party, the largest political group in the European Parliament, to which EC President Ursula von der Leyen belongs. He told the Financial Times that citizens should be allowed to buy petrol and diesel cars as long as carbon dioxide emissions are offset.

Media outlets recall that the UK earlier this month relaxed its targets for electric vehicles, reducing penalties to support its auto industry.

Weber’s statement highlights the EU’s reconsideration of its internal combustion engine ban, set to expire in ten years. This comes amid a crisis in the automotive industry, with major European manufacturers announcing thousands of layoffs due to rising costs and competition from cheap Chinese imports. Meanwhile, the US has imposed a 25 percent tariff on car imports, potentially affecting European car exports valued at 67 billion euros.

After intense lobbying by industry, Brussels gave manufacturers a small reprieve from stricter emissions targets in March, but for now, the current deadline (2035) remains in effect.

New car registrations in the EU fell by 1.9% in the first quarter of this year. In March, registrations decreased by 0.2% year-on-year to 1,029,519 vehicles, which was an improvement from the annual declines of 3.4% in February and 2.6% in January. Hybrid-electric vehicles led the new registrations at 35.5%, followed by petrol vehicles at 28.7%, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) at 15.2%, and diesel cars at 9.5%.

In the first quarter, battery electric vehicle registrations rose by 23.9% year-on-year, totaling 412,997 vehicles, driven by strong growth in Germany (38.9%), Belgium (29.9%), and the Netherlands (7.9%), while France saw a decline of 6.6%.

Hybrid-electric vehicle registrations also increased by 20.7% to 964,108 vehicles, with France leading the growth at 47.5%, followed by Spain (36.6%), Italy (15.3%), and Germany (10.5%), according to ACEA.

• Also See: The EU Is Considering Meeting With Trump To Discuss Auto Import Taxes