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EU does not change course, stop to thermal cars in 2035. Here is the roadmap for green cars

EU confirms ban on sale of internal combustion cars from 2035, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Italy pushes for a revision of the plan by 2025 to guarantee competitiveness and economic security. In the middle is the crisis of a sector conditioned by an electricity market that is struggling to take off

EU does not change course, stop to thermal cars in 2035. Here is the roadmap for green cars

Despite a still uncertain European car market, with sales of electric vehicles struggling to take off, theEuropean Union stays on track to 2035 as a key date for the ban on the sale of cars with traditional combustion engines. There is no going back, the main objective is to drastically reduce C02 emissions, to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

Within the 2025, the European Commission predicts a 19% reduction in CO2 emissions, from 116 to 93,6 grams per kilometer for new cars. For light commercial vehicles, the limit will be 154 grams. Within the 2030, emissions will have to be reduced by 55%, with a total ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2035, leaving room only for zero-emission vehicles.

Stop thermal cars by 2035: the Fit for 55 plan

Il Fit for 55 plan è part of the Green Deal and aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, with the final goal of climate neutrality in 2050. main stages I'm:

  • 2025: 19% reduction in average emissions from new cars, up to 93,6 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
  • 2030: 55% reduction in emissions compared to current levels.
  • 2035: Ban on sales of internal combustion cars, with exceptions for vehicles with synthetic fuels (e-Fuel) and small producers. (Thermal cars already in circulation will not be affected by the stop)

These goals they leave no room for error, and failure to comply will result in heavy fines for producers.

Penalties for companies that do not respect emission limits

Car companies that do not comply with EU emission limits will be subject to large fines. The expected penalty is 95 euros for each gram of CO2 exceeding the limit, multiplied by the number of vehicles sold. For large groups, this could translate into costs in the billions of euros.

“There is a risk fines for 15 billion euros if EU CO2 emission standards are not respected", he declared Luca de Meo, CEO of the Renault group and president of ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Costs that will not only weigh on car manufacturers, but could also have repercussions on car prices and employment.

Stop thermal cars by 2035: exemptions are foreseen

Not all cars will be subject to the 2035 sales ban. There are some exemptions. First, the e-fuel powered engines, synthetic fuels produced exclusively from renewable sources, will not be included in the bloc, a measure strongly supported by Germany.

Furthermore, the small producers will benefit from incentives: the companies that produce less than a thousand vehicles per year will be exempt from the regulation, while those that build between a thousand and ten thousand cars will have an extra year, until 2036, to adapt without having to worry about intermediate goals. Sports car brands such as Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini will benefit from this exemption, which will allow them to face the transition and think about other steps.

The future of motorcycles and heavy vehicles

If cars are at the center of the electric transition, motorcycle e heavy vehicles follow different paths. Motorcycles are not included in the 2035 block due to the technical limitations of batteries for two-wheeled vehicles. As for heavy vehicles, the regulation provides for a progressive reduction of emissions until 2040, without a total ban as for cars.

Electric cars: market struggling to take off

While the transition to electric is underway, the Demand for electric cars falls short of expectations. Currently, the electric vehicle market share is only 12,6% in Europe, with countries likeItaly struggling to keep up, where electric cars represent less than 4% of sales. This slowdown also has direct effects on the domestic automotive industry. In Turin, for example, the Mirafiori plant, where the electric Fiat 500 is produced, has seen a reduction in production, causing employees to be laid off. Similar situations are also found in other European countries, with criticism of the EU's overly rigid approach coming from Italy, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria. Even in Germany, the transition is seen by some leaders as one of the causes of the crisis in the automotive sector, with companies such as Volkswagen considering plant closures to reduce costs.

Electric car registrations in 2024

In August 2024, the Electric car registrations in Europe fell by 43,9%, from 165.204 units in the previous year to 92.627. Market share fell from 21% to 14,4%, with sharp declines in the main markets: Germany (-68,8%) and France (-33,1%).

From January to August 2024, they were 902.011 electric cars registered, equal to 12,6% of the European market. In Italy, despite a slight increase in sales (+5,3%), the market share remains low, at 3,94%, with 48.425 electric vehicles registered in the first nine months of 2024. Italians they prefer used to keep costs down and choose vehicles with traditional combustion engines, such as diesel and petrol, rather than electric or hybrid cars.

Reviewing the objectives: Italy aims for revision

The forecast of zero emissions by 2035 has pushed car manufacturers to invest heavily in the production of electric vehicles. The EU is starting to discuss the possibility of review some measures, while maintaining the ban on selling internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035, but bringing forward the Review of the regulation from 2026 to 2025. Italy and Germany support this proposal to give certainty to businesses and consumers.

Italian minister Adolfo Urso believes that the goals are too burdensome and could put the automotive sector in crisis. Even in Germany, some politicians criticize the transition, holding it responsible for the crisis in the auto industry.

Urso and German Minister Robert Habeck agree on the need to maintain the 2035 date, but ask common resources and a technology-neutral approach to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry. Berlin, however, remains firm on the ban on vehicles combustion from 2035.

The debate concerns even economic securityUrso warns that a rapid adoption of electric vehicles without an adequate European supply chain could make the EU dependent on China for raw materials, creating a new risk of economic dependence similar to that on Russian fossil fuels.

The path to 2035 represents a unprecedented challenge for the European automotive industry, with economic, social and environmental implications. The desire to drastically reduce CO2 emissions is clear, but the difficulties in achieving a sustainable transition remain numerous. The future of the electric car in Europe will depend on the ability to balance innovation, competitiveness and economic security.

The European Union confirms the ban on the sale of internal combustion cars from 2035, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Italy pushes for a revision of the plan by 2025 to guarantee competitiveness and economic security. In the middle there is a crisis in a sector with an electric market that is struggling to take off

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