Europe has been, without any doubt, the most restrictive and ambitious region with the jump to the electric car. Theirs are the policies that point to a prohibition in the sale of cars with combustion engines (with nuances) from 2035. Now, the same manufacturers who said they wanted to hug the electric car are pressing to skip them.
“It is not viable”. It is the last message released by manufacturers. This time it has touched the turn to aceawhich encompasses European manufacturers under the same association. Not much less, the first time That this group throws messages along the same lines but the first that formally asks regulators through a letter.
The letter is signed by Ola Källenius (president of Acea at the moment and CEO of Mercedes) and Matthias Zink (president of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers CPA). It indicates that the objectives are unrealistic and emphasize their frustration for the absence of a comprehensive policy plan that facilitates the transition.
What do they defend? In the letter, manufacturers say they have invested 250,000 million euros in investments until 2030 with the aim of putting cleaner vehicles on the market. However, they ensure that times have changed and that there are important obstacles that have to solve.
They give as an example the 15% tariff with which the United States will tax vehicles from Europe (which supposes A true dart for German manufacturers But also for him auxiliary market). They also point out that the numbers do not lie and that the electricity quota shows that the hug to this technology is costing more than expected.
Solutions? The usual: less taxes, more subsidies and flexibility in the standards that allows to sell all types of technologies, including cars with combustion engines. Once again, manufacturers are pressing so that the standards are flexible.
What does EU have in hand? Two important phases that manufacturers want to skip or, at least, make the standards more flexible. There are three key dates throughout this matter:
- 2027: It is the first milestone. Between 2025 and 2027the average emission of the different car fleets should not exceed 93.6 gr/km of CO2. If exceed, the manufacturer must pay a fine of 95 euros per gram of CO2 exceeded and car sold.
- 2030: The maximum emission limit is reduced to 49.5 gr/km of co. That implies that a car with gasoline engine cannot exceed a consumption of 2.1 liters/100 km of fuel and a diesel cannot exceed 1.8 liters/100 km
- 2035: Forbidden to sell cars with combustion engines that are not neutral carbon.
Has the European Union achieved anything? Yes, obviously the regulations and the threat of millmillionary fines have shaken the industry. It is no accident that the launch of vehicles of all types of brands have been condensed in electric cars or highly electrified, with plug -in hybrids that already exceed 100 kilometers of electrical autonomy.
Regulatory pressures have always led to greater investments of manufacturers and new developments. In recent times we have seen evident efforts with investments in renovation of plants to produce electric cars and factor construction for battery production. They even announced jumps to the electric car exclusively that, yes, have been diluted over the years.
Have manufacturers achieved anything? Yes, although the results could be defined as “fled forward.” The first great milestone has been postponing the fines for emissions until 2027. This year 2025 Europe I should have started fine to those who exceed the limit of 93.6 gr/km of CO2 but Milmillionaire fines were expected.
Finally, Regulators have yielded pointing out that the fines will be based on the average CO2 emissions sold between 2025 and 2027. That is, if a manufacturer exceeds 10 grams in 2025, it has two more years to be below the limit. That will force you to sell many More electric cars and plug -in hybrids between 2026 and 2027.
Subtle but key. Also, after multiple Pressures led by Germany and Italy It was achieved that the 2035 prohibition would change subtly but decisively. First there was talk of combustion engines “Neutral in emissions” But the new wording already spoke of combustion engines “neutral in carbon emissions”.
This small change is essential to guarantee the sale of combustion engines that use synthetic fuels either hydrogen. These options are not neutral in emissions since they launch very harmful fine particles for health. It is a problem produced by the burning of the fuel and has no viable solution.
By introducing that nuance of “neutral in carbon emissions”, manufacturers can develop propellants of this type since they can emit these particles but the development of synthetic fuels and the use of hydrogen make these “neutral” cars in this type of gases. However, they are cars that They should be the absolute exception If European plans are fulfilled.
What future awaits us? It is difficult to ensure. European industry is extremely powerful and has a lot of pressure in countries such as Germany, Italy, France or Spain where very high volumes of vehicles are produced. Aware of this, manufacturers have always tried to press in their own way, either to delay regulations or Receive more subsidies.
If the plans are fulfilled, we should see a huge increase in sales of electric cars. It is the fastest formula to lower consumption since plug -in hybrid The method to count emissions has been changed and consumption.
Therefore, we are facing a new movement of manufacturers to press regulators and try to make the standards more flexible. That they get it or not it is something that only time will say.
Photo | Red Dot and European Commission
In Xataka | European car manufacturers faced milmillionaire fines in 2025. They have postponed them thanks to fear
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