European Union To Cease Sales Of New Gasoline, Diesel-Powered Cars From 2035

As the automotive industry steadily moves towards electrification, it appears the days of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles could be over in the foreseeable future.

From the White House proposing a nationwide network of electric chargers to Ferrari announcing its first electrified supercar, there’s little doubt carbon-neutral automobiles are here to stay.

Taking things a step further, the European Union has recently agreed to end the sale of vehicles with combustion engines by 2035, completely stopping the trading of new petrol and diesel vehicles within its 27 countries.

According to AFP, the measure had initially been proposed in July 2021 and is part of the continent’s climate objectives to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

While this may very well signal the beginning of the end for internal combustion engines in Europe, Motor1 noted that the door could still be left open for automakers looking to tap into alternative fuels, such as Renault’s ‘Scenic Vision’ concept that will run on hydrogen. 

Additionally, the European Council said it would raise carbon-emission reduction targets for new cars and vans to 55% and 50% respectively by 2030, and will reassess the progress made towards these goals in 2026.

“The Council is now ready to negotiate with the European Parliament on concluding the package, thereby placing the European Union more than ever in the vanguard of fighting climate change,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister for Energy Transition.

[via Motor1, AFP, and European Council, cover image via Rui G. Santos | Dreamstime.com]