The EU’s planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is likely to be watered down, according to a senior European parliamentarian, in a move that could anger environmental campaigners.
Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s party, said the European Commission is expected to drop the requirement for all new cars to have zero CO₂ emissions from 2035. Instead, carmakers would need to achieve a 90% reduction in fleet-wide emissions, allowing some hybrid vehicles to remain on sale.
The proposed shift follows lobbying from Germany, Italy and much of the European car industry, which argue that demand for electric vehicles has grown more slowly than anticipated and that flexibility is needed to protect jobs. Weber said the change would secure tens of thousands of roles across Europe’s automotive sector.
Green groups and some manufacturers, including Volvo and Polestar, oppose the move, warning it would weaken the EU’s green deal and risk giving Chinese rivals an advantage. The European Commission said the 2035 deadline is still under discussion, with increasing pressure for more flexible emissions targets.
