EU energy ministers on Tuesday approved a law banning combustion engines for new cars from 2035. ‘The Council (of the EU) today adopted a regulation setting stricter CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans,’ said a statement by the Council of the EU. The decision aims at reducing ’emissions from road transport’ and pushing ‘the automotive industry to shift towards zero-emission mobility while ensuring continued innovation,’ the statement said. According to the new rules, new cars must emit 55% less CO2 and vans 50% from 2030 to 2034 compared to 2021 levels. As of 2035, only those new cars and vans can be sold in the EU that have zero CO2 emission, meaning a complete ban on marketing new combusting-engine vehicles. The regulation also contains incentives for car producers to start producing zero or low-emission cars from 2025. The adoption of the law was delayed by weeks because of Germany’s last-minute opposition, supported by the Italian, Polish, and Bulgarian governments. Following a deal reached over the weekend between Berlin and the European Commission, the new regulation contains an exemption for engines running on synthetic e-fuels that are considered carbon neutral. E-fuels are produced by synthesizing captured CO2 emissions and hydrogen.
Source: Anadolu Agency