EU Parliament Approves Ban On Combustion Cars By 2035

The European Union (EU) makes carbon emissions decision in the bloc, after European Parliament voted on Wednesday about the future of traditional cars.

The European Parliament on Wednesday voted to support an effective EU ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.

The move will no doubt speed up the transition to electric vehicles, and comes after EU lawmakers narrowly rejected a compromise put forward by the conservative European People’s Party (EPP) that would have allowed sales of hybrid vehicles to continue.

EU car vote

On Wednesday, 339 MEPs in the European Parliament voted in favour of the plans, which had been proposed by the European Commission.

There were 249 votes against the proposal, while 24 MEPs abstained.

“With the adopted text, which constitutes Parliament’s position to negotiate with member states, MEPs support the Commission proposal to reach zero-emission road mobility by 2035 (an EU fleet-wide target to reduce the emissions produced by new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles by 100 percent compared to 2021),” said the European Parliament.

“Intermediate emissions reduction targets for 2030 would be set at 55 percent for cars and 50 percent for vans,” it added.

“An ambitious revision of CO2-standards is a crucial part of reaching our climate targets,” stated Rapporteur Jan Huitema. “With these standards, we are creating clarity for the car industry and can stimulate innovation and investments for car manufacturers.”

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“In addition, purchasing and driving zero-emission cars will become cheaper for consumers,” said Huitema. “I am thrilled that the European Parliament has backed an ambitious revision of the targets for 2030 and supported a 100 percent target for 2035, which is crucial to reach climate neutrality by 2050.”

MEPs will now undertake negotiations about the plans with the bloc’s 27 member states.

UK target

The EU plan is not as aggressive as the United Kingdom, which has perhaps the most ambitious emissions target in the world, after it said it will stop selling pure diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2030.

From 2030 to 2035 hybrid cars (with an electric motor and combustion engine) can still be sold, but all combustion engine sales must end by 2035, and only zero emission vehicles can sold after that date.

From 2035 all new cars and vans will be required to have zero emissions.

In February this year Japanese car giant Nissan signaled the end for the internal combustion engine, and the era of the EV (electric vehicle).

Nissan said it will end development of new internal combustion engines in all its major markets except the United States and instead focus its resources on electric vehicles.