EU Parliament backs 2035 ban on new combustion car sales

The European Parliament has voted to support a ban on the sale of new combustion-engined cars in the EU from 2035. The move effectively brings the EU into line with the UK – which will ban pure-combustion cars in 2030 and allow only some hybrids for the following five years – and will mark a significant step in the bloc's journey to net-zero carbon emissions. As reported by Reuters, lawmakers in the European Parliament today voted in favour of a motion tabled by the European Commission last year, which mandates a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions from news cars by 2035 - effectively outlawing petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains. The European Parliament has now voted to approve the ban. Read more: EU Parliament confirms 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars Some had earlier campaigned for a less severe, 90% cut in CO2 emissions by the same date, but these calls were rejected. However, support of the European Parliament for the proposal does not mean the 2035 ban is now law; the parliament will now negotiate with EU member states in a consultation process, and today's vote dictates the position it will argue. Irrespective of any EU legislation imposed, many of the largest car manufacturers that operate in the market – including Ford, Volvo, Audi, Mini, Cupra, Jaguar and all Stellantis brands in Europe – have pledged to end the sale of combustion cars before the 2035 end date. Ford and Volvo, notably, recently joined a consortium of 27 companies to call for the EU to ban the sale of new combustion-engined cars and vans from 2035. The letter signed by the consortium said: "Together, passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are responsible for 15% of all Europe’s CO2 emissions. To enable all cars and vans on the road to reach zero emissions by 2050, the last car with any combustion engine, including hybrids, should be sold no later than 2035. "Cars and vans are also the single largest source of nitrogen dioxide pollution, which EEA [the European Environment Agency] estimates to cause over 40,000 premature deaths in Europe every year." They added that MEPs should support the ambition of firms that have pledged to ditch combustion, while ensuring that "laggards don't delay the market shift". They also said the EU should impose mandatory targets for the expansion and enhancement of Europe's EV charging infrastructure - often regarded as a significant inhibitor to rapid, widespread electric car adoption. Accounting firm Ernst and Young estimates that there will need to be 65 million EV chargers in operation across Europe by 2035, given there will be an estimated 130 million EVs on the road, and 85% of these will need to be installed at homes. On the other hand, Reuters claims to have seen emails which show the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) lobbying lawmakers to scrap the 2035 ban on the basis that the region's charging network is still in its infancy and there are alternative low-carbon fuel options on the table. EU support for a ban on combustion car sales comes just days after industry body JATO Dynamics revealed a stagnation in European EV and PHEV uptake, following several months of promising demand. Some 154,219 plug-in cars were sold last month, a 1.4% drop compared to May 2021 - and that was the second yearly drop in a row. JATO said: "While OEMs have prioritsed sales of EVs (along with SUVs), supply is failing to meet the demand generated by the generous incentives available to consumers. "BEV demand actually increased by 13% to 83,000 units in April, but the popularity of PHEVs fell as, in most cases, these vehicles are not eligible for the deals available for fully electric models with sales down by 15%.