More than 150 executives from Europe’s electric car sector have urged the European Union to stick to its 2035 zero-emission target for cars and vans, warning that any delay could undermine momentum in the shift to electric vehicles and erode investor confidence.
In a letter released on Monday, signatories including Volvo Cars and Polestar argued that postponing the deadline would risk “stalling Europe’s EV market, handing an advantage to global competitors and eroding investor confidence.”
The push reflects growing divisions within the industry. At the end of August, the heads of the European automobile manufacturers’ and suppliers’ associations wrote separately to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, describing the EU’s plan to cut CO₂ emissions from vehicles — including a 100% reduction for cars by 2035 — as increasingly unrealistic.
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius and Schaeffler AG CEO Matthias Zink, who signed that letter, said they supported the EU’s broader net-zero goal by 2050 but warned of “pressing obstacles.” “Meeting the rigid car and van CO2 targets for 2030 and 2035 is, in today’s world, simply no longer feasible,” the executives wrote. They cited reliance on Asian battery supply chains, uneven charging infrastructure, higher manufacturing costs and U.S. tariffs as key challenges.
European Commission President von der Leyen is due to meet industry leaders on Sept. 12 to discuss the sector’s future as automakers face growing competition from Chinese rivals and protectionist measures in the United States.
Polestar Chief Executive Michael Lohscheller cautioned against weakening the bloc’s goals. “That would not only harm the climate. It would harm Europe’s ability to compete,” he said in a statement.
Michiel Langzaal, CEO of EU charging firm Fastned, stressed the importance of regulatory certainty for infrastructure developers. “Those investments can only create returns if we get to this goal,” he said.
According to research group Transport & Environment (T&E), all European carmakers except Mercedes-Benz are on track to meet CO₂ standards for cars and vans between 2025 and 2027. The report said Mercedes may need to pool its emissions with Volvo Cars and Polestar to avoid penalties.
