EU approves ban on petrol and diesel cars by 2035

As an intermediary step towards zero emissions, new CO2 standards will be put in place that require average emissions of new cars to come down by 55 per cent by 2030, and new vans by 50 per cent by 2030.

The rules trail similar measures put in place by the UK, which announced in 2020 that a ban on new diesel and petrol cars would be instituted by 2030.

The executive vice-president for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, said: “The agreement sends a strong signal to industry and consumers: Europe is embracing the shift to zero-emission mobility. European carmakers are already proving they are ready to step up to the plate, with increasing and increasingly affordable electric cars coming to the market. The speed at which this change has happened over the past few years is remarkable.”

The European Commission hopes it will send a “clear signal” to manufacturers and citizens that will lead to an acceleration of the production and sale of low- and zero...