Brussels shunts aside industry complaints to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans.
After nearly 150 years of economy-pumping service, the internal combustion engine is bound for the scrap heap.
In talks that concluded Thursday night, EU lawmakers agreed to set a zero-emissions sales mandate for new cars and vans by 2035. The deal secures a first win for the European Commission as it looks to push through a major package of green laws — and sacrifices one of the Continent’s biggest industrial products: the gas-guzzling car engine.
“The agreement … sends a strong signal to industry and consumers: Europe is embracing the shift to zero-emission mobility,” said EU Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans, following four hours of negotiations.
In confirming the engine ban, Brussels has swerved senior German politicians, automaker captains and parts of its once all-powerful car industry that had fiercely lobbied against betting solely on battery-electric vehicles as part of efforts to tackle transport emissions.
The EU’s first-mover status might not last long, since parts of the U.S. such as California and New York are eyeing up their own 2035 clean car mandates, while other developed economies are now considering similar policies. Global electric car leader Norway, for example, will get there in 2025.
The new EU rules won’t affect older cars already on the road by 2035, but the overall ambition is to make sure that all vehicles inside the EU are zero emissions by 2050 through general fleet churn.
The big surprise in Brussels is that it’s been so easy to get here.