Brussels [Belgium], December 17: European Union (EU) officials have proposed easing the ban on the sale of internal combustion engine cars from 2035, following pressure from the region's automotive industry.
According to a new proposal from the European Commission , regulations enacted in 2023 - which require average emissions from new cars to be zero, a 100% reduction from 2021 levels - will be adjusted to a 90% reduction, according to AP on December 16.
In reality, the majority of new vehicles will still be battery-powered, but a certain percentage of vehicles with internal combustion engines will still be allowed to continue to be sold.
To offset the remaining emissions, automakers will have to implement additional measures such as using European-made steel with low-emission technology, climate-neutral electric fuels generated from renewable energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) capture , and plant-based biofuels.
The EU insists that this adjustment does not derail the bloc's goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
According to Reuters, less stringent emission limits will pave the way for continued sales of some plug-in hybrid vehicles , which combine an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, offering users more flexibility in a context where charging infrastructure is not yet evenly developed.
This proposal still needs to be approved by member governments and the European Parliament. It comes after strong calls for loosening regulations from countries like Germany and Italy - home to many major car manufacturers - which fear that overly strict regulations could harm an industry that creates millions of jobs.
Automotive industry representatives argue that charging infrastructure in Europe has not been deployed quickly enough to convince consumers to abandon gasoline and diesel vehicles. Germany's end of electric vehicle subsidies, high production costs in Europe, competitive pressure from cheaper Chinese electric vehicles, and the fact that the market has not yet fully recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic are also holding back demand.
In the first 10 months of this year, sales of all-battery vehicles in Europe increased by 26% year-on-year, accounting for approximately 16% of total new car sales.
The environmental organization Transport & Environment warns that easing emissions bans could send "confused signals" to the market, diverting investment away from electrification at a time when European carmakers need to accelerate to catch up with their Chinese rivals.
Meanwhile, both the EU and the US are lagging behind China in the transition to electric vehicles. In China, battery-powered vehicles accounted for 34% of the market share in the third quarter, thanks to strong government support and fierce competition among domestic manufacturers.
In the US, President Donald Trump announced earlier this month a plan to significantly relax fuel efficiency standards.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
