An upcoming support package for the European automotive industry might include changes to the effective ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2035.

Several European Union Commissioners have told a German newspaper that a 2035 ban on the sale of new vehicles with petrol and diesel engines in Europe will be weakened as part of an upcoming announcement.

One named, plus two anonymous EU Commissioners reportedly confirmed to Handelsblatt that new combustion-engined vehicles could continue to be registered in the EU beyond 2035 if they are powered by zero- or low-emission biofuels or e-fuels.

It joins recent reports that several EU states have lobbied for new hybrids to remain on sale past 2035, amid slower-than-forecast growth in electric-car sales.

This is despite a deal reached in 2022 to end sales of new combustion engine vehicles – barring potential exemptions for zero-emissions e-fuels – in Europe from 2035.

A support package for the European automotive industry is meant to be announced on December 10. Speculation has mounted that the support package announcement will be delayed, but will include a weakening of the 2035 date once eventually announced.

The European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, was questioned by Handelsblatt about whether new cars with traditional combustion engines (not just hybrids) would be allowed to be registered in the EU after 2035, and he told the outlet: “We are open to all technologies.”

Tzitzikostas’s comments came after it was widely reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sent a letter to the president of the EU Commission appealing for plug-in hybrids, range-extender vehicles, and combustion engines running on alternative fuels to be allowed beyond 2035.

This letter was “very well received”, according to Commissioner Tzitzikostas.

There are 27 EU commissioners, one from each member state of the EU. Each commissioner has responsibility for a different collection of portfolios, such as Transport and Tourism, similar to the way Australian Government ministers function.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has been lobbying for the electric and hydrogen-focused decision reached in 2022 to be weakened.

Their main arguments include that consumer demand for electric vehicles remains low in Europe, and that the infrastructure to support them has not been developed.

This sentiment is echoed by rental car companies in Europe. Rental company Sixt told German news outlet DW that, despite investing in electric cars, the EVs were unpopular amongst car renters largely due to the lack of charging infrastructure around Europe.

However, opposition to the ban is not universal across the European car sector. Volvo and Polestar bosses recently told The Guardian that they support sticking to the 2035 ban.

“If Europe doesn’t take the lead in this transformation, be rest assured, other countries will do it for us,” said Michael Lohscheller, chief executive of Polestar.

Australia currently has no stated plans to ban combustion engines, but the new NVES scheme hands out fines to car brands for each new car sold that emits CO2 above a certain amount.

The threshold for the emissions a new car can emit before landing the car brand with a fine is reduced each year. This is steadily increasing the incentive for brands to introduce low-emissions car models.

However, in Australia, car brands can also offset these fines by selling low-emissions vehicles. For example, Nissan’s sales of the all-electric Nissan Ariya can partially offset the fines Nissan incurs from selling the higher-polluting Nissan Patrol.

Brands such as Toyota Australia and Honda Australia have said in recent months that they believe hybrid vehicle options might be the better path to achieving low emissions.

Extracted in full from:  https://www.drive.com.au/news/2035-ban-on-combustion-engines-in-europe-might-be-weakened-report/

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