Leaders from across Europe’s electric car industry on Wednesday called on the European Commission to uphold the bloc’s commitment to effectively ban the sale of new combustion-engine cars by 2035, cautioning that any reversal would destabilize investment and increase the competitive advantage of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.
The appeal comes ahead of the EU executive’s anticipated unveiling of a new automotive package on December 16. The package is expected to address CO2 targets and potentially introduce greater flexibility concerning the 2035 deadline, following lobbying efforts by certain European automakers and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
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In an open letter addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, two campaign groups, E-Mobility Europe and ChargeUp Europe, along with nearly 200 signatories including Swedish brands Polestar and Volvo Cars, urged the Commission to maintain the current targets.
The letter expressed concern about intense lobbying efforts from the broader automotive sector. “We are deeply concerned about recent efforts to dilute your objectives,” the letter stated.
The groups argued that reintroducing options for transitional technologies, such as plug-in hybrids and CO2-neutral fuels, would create market uncertainty and slow the necessary transition to fully electric vehicles, even as Chinese EV makers continue to gain ground and reduce costs.
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The letter explicitly linked a delay to widening geopolitical competition, adding: “Every delay in Europe only widens the gap with China.” The EU’s automotive package has been subject to significant lobbying from both industry advocates and environmental campaigners in the lead-up to its announcement.
