The European Parliament formally approved a new law in Tuesday (14 February) to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in Europe starting in 2035, in a move that is accelerating the transition to electric vehicles and fighting climate change.
With 340 votes in favour, 279 against and 21 abstentions, the regulation was passed by the European Parliament. “This regulation encourages the production of zero- and low-emission vehicles. It contains an ambitious revision of the targets for 2030 and a zero-emission target for 2035, which is crucial to reach climate neutrality by 2050.” said by Jan Huitema, the parliament’s lead negotiator on the rules.
By 2030, according to the new rules, the carbon emission of new cars and vans must be cut by 55% and 50% respectively compared with 2021, much higher than the existing target of a 37.5%. By 2035, carmakers must meet a 100% cut in carbon-dioxide emissions from new cars, which means no new fossil fuel-powered vehicles could be sold in the 27-country bloc. Based on the 15-year lifespan of ordinary household vehicles, it can be inferred that the European Union will actually reach climate neutrality by 2050.
It is reported that in the next step, the proposal will be formally approved by the European Council and finally implemented.
Hoping to successfully electrify the sector, the European Union will have to invest heavily in promoting the sales of electric vehicles, developing renewable energy, guarantee access to raw materials and building an efficient corresponding charging system.