German car industry slams EU parliament’s 2035 ban on petrol, diesel cars
German car associations were up in arms following a decision by the European Parliament to support a de facto ban on the sale of new combustion engine cars as of 2035, saying it was too ambitious and costly, and going against the market and citizens.
The ban on the sale of cars running on petrol and diesel is a pivotal part of the European Commission’s long-term policy goal of becoming climate neutral in 2050. Previously, the transport sector had been one of the bloc’s climate laggards.
After a significant majority in the European Parliament voted in support of a 2035 ban on Wednesday afternoon (8 June), car manufacturers wasted no time lashing out.
“The EU Parliament has today taken a decision against citizens, against the market, against innovation and against modern technologies,” said Hildegard Müller, president of the German auto industry association VDA, in a statement issued a few hours later on Wednesday.
Citing the lacklustre charging infrastructure in Europe, Müller said it was too early for such an outright ban. Her association had previously warned that the rollout of the charging infrastructure in Germany was too slow.
