Six European Union countries have formally asked the European Commission to allow the continued sale of hybrid vehicles and cars powered by non-battery green technologies beyond the bloc’s planned 2035 phase-out of new combustion-engine models, according to a joint letter seen by Reuters on Friday.
The letter was signed by the prime ministers of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Slovakia, and calls for broader technological neutrality in the EU’s long-term transport decarbonisation strategy. The move adds to mounting political and industry pressure on Brussels to soften the 2035 zero-emission requirement for new cars.
See also: EU Carmakers Look to Brussels for Relief as 2035 Combustion Engine Phaseout Faces Review
The European Commission is due to present a support package for Europe’s automotive industry on Dec. 10, which is expected to include possible adjustments to the 2035 ban on internal combustion engine vehicles. However, an industry source said earlier this week that the announcement could be delayed as negotiations intensify.
EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas recently signalled potential flexibility in the policy framework, saying that the European Union could allow the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles beyond 2035 if they run exclusively on low- or zero-emission fuels. That would open the door to technologies such as e-fuels and certain forms of advanced hybridisation.
Germany has also shifted its stance. Party sources said Berlin’s coalition government has agreed on a unified national position backing a wider range of powertrain technologies, including highly efficient combustion engines alongside battery-electric vehicles, during the EU’s upcoming review of the rule.
Automakers have welcomed the growing political push for regulatory flexibility. Stellantis Chief Executive Antonio Filosa earlier this week said Germany’s proposal aligned with industry concerns over weak vehicle demand, slower-than-expected electric vehicle adoption and rising competition from Chinese manufacturers.
See also: France and Spain Reaffirm Support for EU’s 2035 Zero-Emission Car Target
The European car sector, which employs more than 13 million people across the bloc, has warned that a rigid single-technology path could undermine competitiveness and investment at a time when global rivals are benefiting from lower costs and growing state support.
Source: Reuters
