On 10 February 2023, the EU Commission issued a Directive amending the legal Directive 2018/01 regarding the further reduction of CO2 emissions from vehicles and vans to 70%.
Four days later, that is on Tuesday 14 February 2023, the European Parliament voted by a narrow majority ( 340 out of 640 votes ) to phase out fossil-fuelled passenger vehicles as from 2035, thus concretising the legal compromise concluded on 22 October 2022. The ban has also been approved by EU member states, so nothing stands in the way of the law.
The mainstream media's reporting that the European ban aims to allow only electric vehicles is erroneous.
New cars and vans will be banned from emitting emissions from 2035.
As from 2035, new gasoline and diesel cars will nog longer be allowed to be registered in the EU. Up to that point, media coverage is correct.
Although CO2 emissions are usually measured at the tailpipe - and therefore climate-neutral fuels are not taken into account - the German government, under pressure from the liberal FDP party, has ensured that the new law includes a non-binding recital providing a backdoor for combustion engine vehicles powered by e-fuels.
E-fuels are synthetic fuels and, reportedly, could be a solution for thermal engines. The most well-known e-fuel is hydrogen but there are other versions such as methane and methanol. E-fuel is fully compatible with petrol and diesel internal combustion engines and is already in use. CNG is compressed natural gas and natural gas contains mainly methane.
So in principle, combustion is allowed even after 2035, as long as the fuel powering the engine is considered carbon-neutral.
Opponents of the law include members of the conservative European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in Parliament. They believe the law goes against technological neutrality, banning internal combustion engines does very little for the climate and will harm the industry.
The law covers passenger vehicles and vans, but not heavy commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses, which should be treated separately. The European Commission will present a proposal abput this on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. There are already whispers in the corridors that the Commission will not demand a de facto ban on internal combustion engines for trucks and buses, but a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions for new trucks by 2040. This would be a defeat for Timmermans,the climate guru, who has long been fighting a battle for 100% climate-neutral trucks from 2040.
The aim is to eliminate all combustion engine vehicles from the streets by 2050. A lot can happen within a 28-year time frame. EU legislation provides the possibility of reviewing laws.
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