Brussels's abrupt, yet long-awaited, U-turn on its total ban on the sale of internal combustion engines starting in 2035 is a dramatic change. This move has become a symbol of a Green Deal increasingly under pressure from industry and governments.
Twelve months after starting a dialogue with the struggling automotive sector, the EU Commission is rewriting the emissions regulation, allowing car manufacturers to reduce tailpipe CO2 emissions by 90% from 2035 compared to 2021, rather than the 100% currently envisaged.
The revision launched in Strasbourg after intense discussions among the commissioners - who extended the time for the presentation of the package by a few hours - therefore leaves room on the post-2035 market for the marketing of vehicles with internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and range extenders, not just electric or hydrogen ones.
The automotive giants will have to offset the remaining 10% of emissions through 'credits' that they can accumulate by using low-emission steel 'made in Europe' to build their vehicles or by using sustainable fuels, such as e-fuels and advanced biofuels.
As long as—the Berlaymont Palace specifies—they are not food-based biofuels. According to EU estimates, a 30-35% share of non-fully electric vehicles will be allowed on the post-2035 market.
"Europe remains at the forefront of the global transition to a clean economy," assured EU executive leader Ursula von der Leyen, as if to reassure the public that the revision will not undermine the EU's transition objectives. However, what came from Strasbourg is a "breach in the wall of ideology," in the words of Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, who asserted Rome's role in advancing the battle for the principle of technological neutrality, now recognized in the revised rules. However, this is "too little," according to Confindustria President Emanuele Orsini, who urges the EU to "stop doing only half-measures: they have to do things, and today they're not doing them."
Stellantis considers the choice a first step that, however, "does not significantly address the issues the sector is facing," particularly for commercial vehicles, while it appreciates the support for small cars.
