EU to soften 2035 “zero‑emissions” push after car‑makers’ pressure
The European Union has officially announced that it will revise the 2035 emissions laws that were designed to ban the sale of any internal‑combustion‑engine (ICE) vehicles by the end of the decade. The move comes after a flurry of lobbying from automakers who say the original rules would be too hard to hit.
Under the current law, every new light‑vehicle sold in the EU would have to be “zero‑emissions” – effectively outlawing ICE cars, hybrids and any car that still produces exhaust CO₂ from 2035 onward. The European Parliament’s latest proposal loosens this blanket ban. Instead of a hard stop, it will allow a small number of ICE cars to be sold, but only if the overall mix is heavily weighted toward electrics.
New rules: 90 % electric, 10 % hybrid
The updated proposal calls for 90 % of all new vehicles to be fully electric, with the remaining 10 % limited to hybrids. That means automakers could still offer a handful of gasoline‑powered models, provided the fleet‑wide emissions target is met.
What this means for makers and drivers
The changes won’t affect cars already on the road. The focus will be on new‑vehicle sales. Ford, Volkswagen, Nissan and other manufacturers that fail to hit their 2035 emissions goals will still face financial penalties, the EU clarified.
While the reform eases the pressure on ICE makers, it still keeps the EU firmly on its path to a fully electric future. The debate now shifts to how the industry will meet the 90/10 split and what penalties will be imposed on those who lag behind.
