A group of 150 executives from the e-mobility sector has urged the European Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen to uphold the 2035 target for zero-emission cars and vans.
In an open letter, the executives expressed concern following a recent vote in the European Parliament to relax emissions standards. Under the European Green Deal, all new vehicles sold in Europe must be free of emissions by 2035. The transition is scheduled to occur in phases: from 2025 to 2029, new cars will be allowed to emit a maximum of 93.6 grams of CO2 per kilometre. Earlier this May, however, the European Parliament approved a reduction in penalties for failing to meet these targets.
The signatories include vehicle manufacturers, battery producers, charging infrastructure operators, material suppliers, and grid managers. They fear that loosening current standards may eventually put the 2035 zero-emission goal and the planned phase-out of combustion engines in jeopardy. The group called on von der Leyen to remain steadfast and resist any pressure to backtrack on the commitments.
One key argument from the sector is the risk to investor confidence. According to the executives, hundreds of billions of euros have already been invested in the e-mobility sector since 2023, based on the assumption that the phase-out would proceed as planned. “Reversing the legislation would undermine investor confidence and hand a competitive advantage to global rivals,” the letter warns.
Michael Lohscheller, CEO of Swedish electric carmaker Polestar, echoed these concerns. “The EU’s target to end the sale of combustion-engine cars by 2035 was a turning point,” he stated. “Weakening this goal now would send the opposite signal: that Europe is willing to abandon its own commitments. This would harm not only the climate but also Europe’s competitiveness.”
