The EU has taken another step in its intention to reduce the level of emissions entirely by 2050. Both the European Parliament like the Council and the European Commission, have reached an agreement to ban the sale of combustion cars —that is, those gasoline and diesel cars— in 2035.
Making, therefore, that all new vehicles are completely electric, since the sale of hybrid vehicles will also be prohibited on the aforementioned date.
This future ban is part of the EU’s fit for 55 program, an environmental package consisting of a series of measures and regulations to minimize the level of emissions by up to 55% in 2030, and by up to 100% in 2050. Banning gasoline and diesel cars, in fact, is the first measure to be implemented.
The agreement that allows the European Union to take the measure one step further, however, has been rejected by the European People’s Party, who assure that the measure will only will intensify the circulation of older, more polluting vehicles, because the electric ones will not be affordable.
“After 2035, our streets could be filled with old vehicles, because new ones won’t be available or affordable. The agreement closes the door to new technological developments and puts all the eggs in one. It is a mistake,” said Jens Gieseke, MEP and negotiator of the European PP.
For his part, Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal, has hinted that the ban on combustion vehicles in 2035 can be viable thanks to the manufacture of cheaper electric vehicles.
“European automakers are already showing that they are ready to step up, with increasingly affordable electric cars coming onto the market,” he stressed.
The EU could make exceptions
This EU ban, moreover, is complemented by the environmental measures of various car manufacturers. Among them, Ford and Volkswagen, who months ago announced their intention to stop manufacturing and selling combustion cars in 2030. Even before Europe prohibits them.
Meanwhile, Italy hopes that the EU can make an exception. You want them to allow sale of some supercar models from manufacturers such as Ferrari or Lamborghini, which have combustion engines beyond 2035.
According to the country’s government, the level of production of this type of vehicle is considerably lower than that of other conventional cars with combustion engines.
In any case, the measure proposed by the European Union has yet to go through formal adoption. It is expected, yes, that they make an exception for small-volume manufacturers — such as Ferrari or Lamborghibi — but only until the end of 2035.