Europe opens the door to the survival of combustion engines after 2035

Combustion engines may be safe after 2035 – even less present on the roads. This if adopted the proposal adopted on wednesday (november 4) to the European Parliament. The matter should be discussed in plenary next month.

The Committee on the Environment, Climate Change and Food Safety proposes that the fleet of passenger cars in the European Union reduce dioxide and carbon emissions by 87.5 percent compared to 2021 levels – not 100 percent, as the current rules predict.

In December last year, the European Commission has proposed setting the target at 90 percent, so this proposal by MEPs goes even further. If it goes ahead, it will enter into force in 2035.

But there's one nuance: manufacturers could compensate up to 7.5 percent of emissions using low carbon steel credits manufactured in the European Union. This mechanism would reduce emissions by 95 percent.

What would that mean?

In practice, flexibilisation of the EU's environmental objectives may allow, after 2035, up to 39 percent of new cars maintain a thermal propellant in their composition. The numbers are from the Transport & Environment collective, quoted by news18a – which points to survival, especially in plug-in hybrids and electrics with autonomy extender.

There's a different case

Unlike passenger cars light goods should reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent against 2021 levels (not 100 percent as currently predicted). There would also be low carbon steel credits here.

As far as commercials are concerned, the European Parliament's proposal provides for the possibility of reviewing the definition of “zero emissions vehicles” to include vehicles without exhaust emissions using only sustainable fuels.