Automobile. "It would be disastrous to abandon the 2035 target": the end of combustion-engine cars postponed?

Is the ban on the sale of combustion-engine cars and vans in Europe from 2035 faltering? This European decision, enacted in 2022, is increasingly being denounced by European car manufacturers (ACEA) and equipment manufacturers (CLEPA). These stakeholders sent a letter to the European Commission on August 27 requesting a "readjustment of the current trajectory for reducing CO₂ emissions in road transport" in order to "preserve Europe's industrial competitiveness." They argue that "in today's world, it is simply impossible to achieve the CO₂ emissions targets for vehicles by 2030 (-55% of 2021 emissions) and 2035 (-100%)."

A highly anticipated meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 12, between manufacturers and Ursula von der Leyen , President of the European Commission, to set the course for the coming years . Last May, MEPs already took a first step towards companies in the sector, by postponing the timetable for implementing CO₂ emissions rules. This relaxation offers greater "flexibility" to European car manufacturers to meet the first decarbonization targets, set by the Commission for 2025. In concrete terms, manufacturers avoid paying heavy fines this year and have until 2027 to act. Marc Ferracci , the resigning Minister of Industry, and Agnès Pannier-Runacher , resigning Minister of Ecological Transition, welcomed the decision and reaffirmed the French government's commitment to maintaining the 2035 deadline.

The market is groping

In their defense, manufacturers are highlighting the electric vehicle market, which is struggling to establish itself in Europe. New electric cars represent 17% of purchases within the "enlarged" European Union , with countries like Norway exceeding 80% while others, such as Spain and Italy, are lagging behind, at around 5%.

Brussels' potential "about-turn" is understandably worrying Charge France, the association of charging operators in France, which have everything to gain from the development of the electric market. "It would be disastrous to abandon the 2035 target today. Some manufacturers are pushing for plug-in hybrids to obtain an exemption after 2035," laments Aurélien de Meaux, president of Charge France. He calls on the Commission not to deviate from its objective so that industrial investments focus on electric vehicles, to "guarantee their competitiveness against Chinese manufacturers."

For Charge France, doubts about electric cars are unfounded. To convince, the group highlights a study published by the consulting firm BCG. The authors emphasize that "the European trajectory towards electric cars is well underway," with sales of electric cars in Europe increasing by 24% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024.

The second positive element, according to BCG experts, is that buyers' "psychological barriers" are gradually disappearing. According to the consulting firm, potential customers are particularly attentive to the possibility of rapid charging (less than 30 minutes) and sufficient autonomy (more than 460 km). On the first point, Aurélien de Meaux points out that "the number of charging stations doubled between 2023 and 2025, and rapid chargers increased tenfold. We have a massive charging network today, with a charging time of around 20 minutes. In addition, energy is cheap and carbon-free." Regarding autonomy, BCG calculated that new models released in 2024 have an average theoretical autonomy of 544 km.

Electric cars cheaper than thermal or hybrid cars

But the question of price remains central for the consumer. "Electric vehicles currently sold in Europe are cheaper to purchase and run than combustion and hybrid vehicles," reveal BCG experts, based on the case of a motorist who drives 13,000 km per year, over five years of use, in a city or family car. They estimate savings of between €640 and €1,600 per year for a household that would equip itself with an electric vehicle rather than a hybrid. "The study shows that plug-in hybrids are not a good solution, whether from a climate perspective—they emit three times more CO₂ than electric vehicles over their entire life cycle—or in terms of purchasing power," according to Aurélien de Meaux.

On this issue of the future of the automobile industry in Europe, each camp is sharpening its arguments. This is one of the burning issues for Ursula von der Leyen in the coming months. The Commission President has also confirmed the acceleration of her roadmap: the "review clause" - to take an initial stock of the situation and possibly make adjustments to the text - will take place in 2025, and not in 2026 as initially planned.