Automakers could be forced to sell only EVs in Europe by 2035 under new law

The European Union has always had the strictest emissions regulations, forcing automakers to invest billions and billions of euros to make their internal combustion engines as efficient and clean as possible. It looks as though the end is nigh for the ol’ ICE as the EU is reportedly days away from proposing a law to effectively kill the gasoline and diesel engines.

A document received by Bloomberg News will allegedly be made public on Wednesday (July 14) when the EU will propose a law forcing companies to slash emissions of cars and vans by 65% from 2030. Just five years later, automakers would have to cut emissions by 100%. To make it happen, there will also be rules for local authorities to bolster the charging infrastructure, which is currently lacking in many parts of Europe.

The tougher emissions targets would be significantly stricter than the existing goals, which call for a reduction of CO2 emissions by 37.5% by the end of the decade. Under the new, governments would have to install EV charging points on major highways once every 37 miles (60 kilometers) while hydrogen stations would have to be located at a maximum interval of 93 miles (150 kilometers).

Nothing is set in stone at this point as even though the proposal will likely be made next week, it could change before it gets officially approved by the EU. Nevertheless, it goes to show the writing is on the wall for the combustion engine, which is why more and more automakers are announcing plans to shift to EV-only lineups.

Jaguar has vowed to eliminate the internal combustion engine as early as 2025 while Opel will be doing the same in 2028. Ford of Europe, Bentley, and Volvo have announced the ICE’s cut-off date for 2030, followed by Audi in 2033 (with the exception of China).

Source: Bloomberg News via Automotive News Europe