The European Parliament on Wednesday, February 15 officially approved a law to ban the sale of new gas and diesel cars in the European Union effective 2035, in a bid the house said was designed to speed up the transition to electric vehicles. The new legislation, which is part of a broader effort by the EU to combat climate change, says that by 2035, carmakers must achieve a 100 percent cut in carbon-dioxide emissions from new cars sold, which means no new fossil fuel–powered vehicles could be sold in the 27-country bloc. Despite implications for the rest of the world being huge, with 340 votes in favor, 279 against and 21 abstentions, the new rules also set a path for more immediate emissions reductions targets. New cars and vans sold from 2030 will have to meet a 55 percent and 50 percent cut in emissions, respectively, compared to 2021 levels. The previous 2030 emissions target for new cars sold was 37.5 percent. The approved law was first accepted by negotiators from EU countries, the European Parliament and the European Commission in October 2022, but Wednesday’s approval is just a step before the law gets a formal rubber stamp and the rules begin to take effect. That’s expected to happen in March. Many automakers have already begun preparing for this transition. Volkswagen, which is also based in Rwanda, said that the brand will produce only EVs in Europe by 2033. The same pledge was reiterated by Audi which said it would cease producing diesel and petrol cars by 2033. However, some automakers, industry players and countries have been giving the EU pushback ever since the law was proposed in July 2021. As a result of resistance, the final approval flexibilities, including a caveat for small carmakers producing fewer than 10,000 vehicles per year to be able to negotiate weaker targets until 2036.
