EU reaffirms 2035 zero-emissions target for new cars

The European Commission has confirmed it will maintain its 2035 target for all new cars and vans sold in the EU to have zero CO2 emissions, effectively ending the sale of gasoline and diesel models. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas announced that a planned review of emission regulations in 2026 would be brought forward to the third and fourth quarters of this year, but assured that the targets themselves would remain unchanged. “We are committed to the 2035 target, which means we remain on track for the 2025, 2030, and 2035 goals,” Tsitsikostas stated on 5 March, outlining the EU's action plan to accelerate the electrification of European automakers' fleets and better compete with Chinese rivals. Additionally, the EU confirmed on 3 March that European automakers will have three years, instead of one, to meet the 2025 emission targets.