Europe’s hard 2035 cutoff for new internal combustion cars is being reshaped into something more flexible, turning a headline “ban” into a strict emissions cap that still leaves room for gas and hybrid models. As per Reuters, European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber says the technology ban on combustion engines is now “off the table,” as Brussels moves from a 100 percent tailpipe CO₂ reduction target in 2035 to a 90 percent fleet cut instead.
That shift still forces automakers to sell mostly zero-emission vehicles, but it opens a path for a minority of plug-in hybrids and highly efficient combustion cars to survive past that date, a possibility previewed earlier in the month.
From Hard Ban to Tight Emissions Cap
Under the original rule, new light vehicles registered in the EU from 2035 had to hit a 100 percent CO₂ reduction compared with 2021, which in practice meant battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell models only. The revised plan keeps 2035 as a pivot year but replaces that absolute target with a 90 percent fleet reduction, leaving roughly 10 percent of sales available for non-zero-emission powertrains. That headroom is expected to be filled by plug-in hybrids and vehicles that can run on certified CO₂-neutral e-fuels or advanced biofuels, rather than traditional gas cars in large numbers.
The change is part of a broader package that also makes 2030 rules more flexible, allowing automakers to average their emissions over several years and slightly easing van targets. Politically, it is being framed as a way to protect industrial jobs and keep European brands competitive against lower-cost EVs from China. It also confirms the direction hinted at in earlier reporting.
What it Means for Future Gas Engines
If the proposal is approved by EU governments and the European Parliament, most new cars sold after 2035 will still need to be electric to meet the 90 percent reduction target. The difference is that automakers will now have a regulatory niche where they can keep building some form of combustion sports cars, performance sedans and high-end SUVs, provided those vehicles are efficient enough or compatible with low-carbon fuels. That helps explain why companies are still investing in advanced combustion tech, such as Ferrari’s experimental oval-piston engine concept.
For buyers, the likely outcome is a market where mainstream models go overwhelmingly electric, while a small slice of enthusiast and high-margin vehicles continues with combustion for as long as it makes financial and regulatory sense. The original “no new gas cars after 2035” headline may be gone, but the pressure to electrify most of the lineup remains, and the next decade will show whether this compromise keeps both lawmakers and car enthusiasts happy.
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