The European Union Is Walking Back On Its 2035 Complete Ban On Combustion Engines

SAUDI ARABIA: The ICE age is not coming to an end by 2035 in Europe as the policymakers had initially intended. The EU has just shared new guidelines that the aim for a complete ICE engine ban is being readjusted to a 90% reduction in emissions. This will ensure hybrids and extended range EVs will be available for sale in Europe even after 2035. 

After the EV boom in the early 2020s, the EU wanted to ensure that the future becomes fully electric. The policymakers wanted to force automakers to go electric completely, and though it worked initially, the problems with EV infrastructure showed up soon. Range anxiety, charging times, and a lack of convenience compared to ICE cars made it more problematic in the practical sense for people than the instant acceleration could fix. 

As a result, over the last few years, EV sales have dropped significantly. Even major luxury car brands that swore they are going fully electric are quietly reintroducing ICE cars in their lineup again. So is the EU giving up on its goal of reducing emissions? No. The EU still plans for an electric future, but it is just not happening entirely by 2035. That being said, it is an important distinction to understand that by 2035, hybrids and EREVs are going to be among the only ICE cars available in the EU.

The head of the European People’s Party (EPP) confirmed that the policy change is happening to a German newspaper, saying, “For new registrations from 2035 onwards, a 90-percent reduction in CO2 emissions will now be mandatory for car manufacturers' fleet targets, instead of 100 percent. There will also be no 100-percent target from 2040 onwards. This means that the technology ban on combustion engines is off the table. All engines currently built in Germany can therefore continue to be produced and sold.”

FAQs

Q1) Why did the EU change its ICE ban policy?

A) The EU changed its ICE ban policy following market trends of slow EV sales and significant shortcomings in overall EV reliability and infrastructure.

Q2) Did anyone force the EU to change this policy?

A) No, the decision was not forced, but pressure from the Volkswagen Group and Stellantis is said to be contributing to the decision change from the EU.

Also Read: Ford F-150 Lightning Is Going Out & The New Lightning Model Gets A Much-Needed EREV Treatment