Aug 27, 06:38 AM

EU Carmakers Say 2035 Zero-Emission Mandate Unworkable, Urge Policy Reset

Europe’s two main automotive lobby groups warned that the European Union’s plan to cut carbon-dioxide emissions from new passenger cars and vans to zero by 2035 is no longer achievable. In a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and the European Automotive Suppliers’ Association (CLEPA) said meeting the legally binding targets "is, in today’s world, simply no longer feasible." The letter—signed by Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Kaellenius and Schaeffler board member Matthias Zink—cites near-total dependence on Asian battery makers, uneven charging infrastructure, higher production costs and a 15% U.S. tariff on European vehicles. Battery-electric models account for roughly 15% of new car sales and 9% of vans in the bloc, well below the levels needed to reach a 100% emissions cut by 2035. The groups urged Brussels to allow a wider mix of technologies, including plug-in hybrids, hydrogen and low-carbon fuels, rather than rely solely on battery-electric vehicles. Von der Leyen plans to host industry executives on 12 September for a Strategic Dialogue on the sector’s future, where the associations will press for a recalibration of the 2030 and 2035 CO2 limits. The Commission already granted automakers limited relief in March by easing interim 2025–27 rules, and some lawmakers have called for the full withdrawal of the 2035 combustion-engine ban amid mounting competition from Chinese electric-vehicle makers.

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Written with ChatGPT .

EU Carmakers Say 2035 Zero-Emission Mandate Unworkable, Urge Policy Reset

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