EUROPE – The European Union on Thursday announced that it had reached a deal amongst its constituent nations that the sale of all newly-built cars that utilize gasoline-powered, internal combustion engines will be effectively banned by 2035 in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions, a move that experts are saying will change the face of transportation forever.
Automakers will only be permitted to build and sell fully electrically-powered, zero-emission vehicles by the target year; existing gas and diesel-powered vehicles will still be allowed, but they will be governed by a new set of standards, including a requirement that car companies reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55 percent on all models built from 2030 onward when compared to 2021 levels.
Two exceptions were made in the agreement; some “niche” automakers will be allowed to manufacture a limited run of vehicles that will be allowed to utilize gas-powered engines for one additional year beyond the target date, and vehicles running solely on carbon-neutral fuels will be allowed to be indefinitely built following 2035.
There are few exceptions to the new rules. Both the council and parliament agreed that niche manufacturers — including Lamborghini — which produces a small number of vehicles will receive a 1-year delay on the emissions targets.
The deal was originally announced back in 2021, at which time the EU’s rapid move to “go green” created controversy; however, EU Climate Chief Frans Timmermans said that automakers are prepared to make the relatively speedy transition.
“European carmakers are already proving they are ready to step up to the plate, with increasing and increasingly affordable electric cars coming to the market,” he said. “The speed at which this change has happened over the past few years is remarkable.”
The deal will have worldwide ramifications, as many of the nations in the EU are home to some of the planet’s largest and most noteworthy car manufacturers; Volkswagen, Stellantis, Ford, Bentley and Jaguar have already announced that they will abide by the EU’s decree and only sell EVs in Europe by 2035 or sooner.
Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist, videographer, reporter and writer for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® as well as other independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher works on a wide variety of topics and fields, has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, from local to national, and helps keep a keen-eye on what’s happening in the automotive world for Auto Buyers Market.