The European Union’s planned ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars from 2035 is set to be weakened, according to senior European Parliament officials, which is expected to spark strong opposition from environmental activists.
The decision, expected to be announced by the European Commission in Strasbourg this week, would represent a significant retreat from one of the key points of the EU’s Green Deal. Activists have warned that any weakening of the ban would amount to an “unveiling” of the bloc’s climate ambitions on transport.
Under existing legislation agreed in 2022, all new cars sold in the EU from 2035 must produce zero CO₂ emissions, effectively banning petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. However, Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, said the total ban on internal combustion engines would be weakened.
“The technology ban for combustion engines is off the table,” Weber told the Bild newspaper. “All engines currently manufactured in Germany can therefore continue to be produced and sold.”
His comments are the result of months of lobbying by the country’s leaders and the automotive industry. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week he was in favor of a rethink, arguing that internal combustion engine vehicles would continue to dominate global roads well beyond 2035.
“The reality is that there will still be millions of cars with combustion engines worldwide in 2035, 2040 and 2050,” said Merz.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, along with several major automakers, also pushed for changes that would allow the sale of hybrid vehicles. Weber suggested that under the revised rules, manufacturers would instead be required to reduce average fleet emissions by 90 percent from 2035, rather than meet a strict zero-emissions target.
This could open the door to a new generation of plug-in hybrid vehicles with greater electric range but an internal combustion engine as a backup for long-distance journeys.
Environmental groups reacted angrily to reports of a decline. Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said relaxing the rules would lead to European households “driving dirtier and more expensive petrol cars longer” and slow the transition to electric vehicles.
Some manufacturers, including Volvo and Polestar, also criticized calls to ease the ban, warning that political uncertainty could give an advantage to Chinese electric vehicle makers that are already expanding rapidly.
A European Commission spokesman said the 2035 deadline was still under discussion, adding that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had acknowledged growing calls for “more flexibility” in carbon targets.
Alongside any changes to the ban, the Commission is expected to propose new incentives to support the production and purchase of small, affordable electric vehicles from Europe, as part of a broader effort to counter rising imports from China.
The debate highlights deep divisions within the EU over how quickly the transition away from fossil fuel cars should occur, balancing climate targets against industrial competitiveness, jobs and consumer demand as the bloc plans its automotive future.
