A Volvo Cars executive said on Tuesday he hoped the European Commission would resist pressure to scrap an effective ban on sales of new combustion engine cars from 2035, arguing the Swedish automaker is already prepared for a fully electric future.
Germany, Italy and their automotive industries have been lobbying Brussels to soften or delay the ban, citing intense competition from Chinese manufacturers and concerns over costs. A senior German EU lawmaker said last week the Commission could move to scrap the ban and instead propose a 90% cut in fleet CO2 emissions from 2035.
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Ditching the ban would be “a pity,” Volvo Cars Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson told Reuters, adding that the company had invested heavily to meet the original targets. “We have invested a lot and we’re ready to go,” he said.
Volvo Cars, along with fellow Swedish automaker Polestar, has been among the strongest opponents of changing course, warning that policy shifts would disadvantage companies that committed early to electrification.
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Severinson said he expected some form of compromise but cautioned that altering the rules now would damage confidence in the regulatory system. “It kind of deteriorates the trust for the whole system… All of a sudden, the playing field changes because someone else wasn’t,” he said.
The planned ban has been a cornerstone of the European Union’s decarbonisation strategy and its push to accelerate electric vehicle adoption. Critics of the ban argue the bloc should also allow technologies such as plug-in hybrids, biofuels and synthetic fuels, while EV-focused manufacturers say reversing the policy would slow the transition.