The EU has moved closer to banning sales of cars with internal combustion engines by 2035.
The European Union has taken another major step toward banning the sale of new cars powered by internal combustion engines, including hybrids, by 2035.
The proposal, first proposed by the European Commission in 2021, to reduce CO2 emissions from cars by 100% by 2035, received support from the European Parliament after a vote on Wednesday.
The proposal will now become law after a vote by the European Council, made up of the heads of state and government of the E.U. member states.
The proposal to lower the CO2 reduction target to 90% by 2035 was rejected in Wednesday's vote.
While most major automakers support the measure, there were reports last year that the Italian government is seeking an exception for niche automakers such as Ferrari and Lamborghini; it is certainly possible that countries within the E.U. will propose amendments to protect their local industries.
Also, citing an e-mail, Reuters reported on Wednesday that the German auto industry group VDA opposes the proposal, fearing that sufficient charging infrastructure will not be ready by the 2035 deadline and that alternatives such as carbon-neutral synthetic fuels will be abandoned They said.
Some countries, like Canada and the United Kingdom, have targeted similar plans for 2035. The U.S. has not yet gone down this path, but California announced in 2020 that it would require all light-duty vehicles to have zero emissions by 2035, and other states have expressed interest in similar rules. General Motors also announced last year that its small car fleet would be electric by 2035.