European lawmakers have once again voted to abolish the 2035 ban on the sale of internal combustion-engined vehicles. Under a revised plan, car manufacturers must instead demonstrate a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, effectively enabling a small number of hybrid, as well as pure-petrol or pure-diesel cars to be sold beyond 2035.

 

Voted for by members of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI) 48-to-30, the ‘Fit for 55’ plan will make it a legal obligation to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. However, following intense lobbying from the automotive sector, the legislation also includes a change to the EU’s 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, which was announced back in 2023.