Key takeaways
- Senior EU lawmaker Manfred Weber says a full 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars is “off the table.”
- He backs a 90 percent CO2 reduction target for carmaker fleets by 2035 instead of the previously approved 100 percent cut.
- Weber also signals there would be no return to a 100 percent target “from 2040 onwards.”
- The current 2023 rule mandating a 100 percent reduction by 2035 remains in force until formally changed in law.
What would change
A 90 percent fleetwide target would still force major shifts toward zero‑emission models, but it would allow a limited share of combustion‑engine vehicles after 2035. Weber frames this as safeguarding industrial capacity and jobs, especially in Germany’s auto sector.
What remains uncertain
- Not yet law: The 2023 decision committing to a 100 percent reduction still stands; any rollback must go through the EU legislative process.
- Timing and design details of a revised target, including how it would interact with interim milestones before 2035, are unspecified.
- Implications for the United Kingdom are unclear; the U.K. sets its own policy but is influenced by EU market dynamics.
Implications for industry and consumers
- Automakers would retain flexibility to keep a small share of combustion models while continuing rapid electrification.
- Production planning remains complicated until there is a formal, legally backed update; companies currently must plan for the 100 percent rule.
- Consumers may see more powertrain variety post‑2035, though the vast majority of new sales would likely still need to be zero‑emission to meet fleet averages.
Market context
Recent U.K. data show mixed signals: battery‑electric vehicles reached a 26.4 percent share in November, but growth was the weakest in nearly two years (+3.6 percent). Plug‑in hybrids grew fastest (+14.8 percent, 11.9 percent share), while overall U.K. new‑car registrations fell 1.6 percent.
Bottom line
Weber’s comments indicate political momentum for easing the 2035 target to 90 percent, removing a de facto technology ban on combustion engines. However, until EU institutions formally amend the 2023 rule, the 100 percent reduction by 2035 remains the operative standard.
