The European Commission announced today its latest proposals concerning climate ambitions, which should result in the reduction of new greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Part of the package is stricter emission requirements for the automotive industry. The European Commission intends to require a 55% reduction of the average emissions of new cars in 2030, compared to levels in 2021. It will be achievable, only through broad electrification.
The end goal is zero-emission for all new cars from 2035 - which means that no car with an internal combustion engine will be allowed for the first registration. Only battery-electric cars (BEV) or hydrogen fuel cell cars (FCV) will comply (aside from some other exotic technologies).
"A combination of measures is required to tackle rising emissions in road transport to complement emissions trading. Stronger CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans will accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility by requiring average emissions of new cars to come down by 55% from 2030 and 100% from 2035 compared to 2021 levels. As a result, all new cars registered as of 2035 will be zero-emission."
As the older ICE cars (and hybrids/plug-in hybrids) age, the EU will become zero-emission. By 2050, there will probably be only some special ICE vehicles and vintage cars.
Because the popularization of battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles is challenging without a proper infrastructure for long-distance travel, the EU will apply requirements on member states to build chargers every 60 km (37 miles) and hydrogen stations every 150 km (93 miles) on major highways.
"To ensure that drivers are able to charge or fuel their vehicles at a reliable network across Europe, the revised Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation will require Member States to expand charging capacity in line with zero-emission car sales, and to install charging and fuelling points at regular intervals on major highways: every 60 kilometres for electric charging and every 150 kilometres for hydrogen refuelling."
Multiple manufacturers announced their own goals to end production and sales of conventional cars. However, the official deadline set by the EU is necessary - according to EU President Ursula von der Leyen - to avoid a lack of certainty for the entire industry (via Automotive News):
"We will still set out an end date after which all cars will have to be emissions free. Otherwise there will be a lack of certainty and we won't achieve our goal of climate neutrality by 2050."
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