European Union proposes ban on non-electric cars by 2035
As part of a package of measures to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, has proposed a 55 percent cut in vehicular CO2 emissions from current levels by 2030, rising to 100 percent by 2035. This proposal effectively intends to completely ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars – including hybrids – from 2035 within the EU’s 27 member states.
- EU’s proposes to ban sales of non-electric vehicles in all EU nations
- Small volume manufacturers will no longer be exempt from emission rules
- Plans to include legislation to boost the infrastructure required for mass EV uptake
European Union’s emission goals
The new targets are a substantial increase on the current measures, which currently require a 37.5 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. Those goals, which are becoming increasingly tougher, have already forced car manufacturers to drastically increase their electrified vehicle offerings to avoid heavy EU fines.
More importantly, the proposals include removing the exemption from the emission rules for small volume manufacturers – those who produce between 1000 and 10,000 new cars per year – would no longer be exempt under the new proposals.
EV charging infrastructure
The new goal brings the EU broadly in line with the UK’s targets. The UK government has already declared a ban on the sale of new non-zero-emissions cars and vehicles by 2030, although certain plug-in hybrids will be allowed to remain on sale until 2035. Several major car brands, including Bentley, Ford, Opel, Vauxhall and Volvo, have already outlined plans to switch to entirely electric fleets in Europe by 2030.
There obviously has to be an infrastructure for the mass adoption of zero-emissions cars and the proposal also includes some legislation for mass EV uptake. That includes a requirement that, by 2025, member states install public charging points along major roads at intervals of no more than 60km (37 miles) for battery EVs and 150km (93 miles) for hydrogen fuel cell EVs.
