Automotive, Brussels reassures industry: review of the ban on combustion engines “as soon as possible”

Brussels – The dialogue between the European Commission and the automotive industry continues. Today (12 September), industry representatives met Ursula von der Leyen and her vice-president for industrial strategy, Stéphane Séjourné, as part of the Dialogue on the Future of the Car launched in January to respond to the crisis in the sector. A sector that employs over 13 million people and contributes around 7 per cent of the EU’s GDP. A sector that has invested over 250 billion in the green transition, but which is crying out to be taken by the hand and accompanied towards the ambitious mid-century energy targets. 

There were also doubts and expectations to be cleared up, created by the President herself, who announced—in her State of the Union address—an unspecified initiative for European electric cars. “We want the future of cars, and the cars of the future, to be made in Europe,” von der Leyen reiterated in a post on X. Séjourné’s cabinet announced on the sidelines of today’s meeting that the European Commission intends to develop a new regulatory category dedicated to small electric cars produced in Europe, with the aim of creating a market segment dedicated to the “E-car“.

Prior to the meeting, the Director General of ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association), Sigrid de Vries, had called for the adoption of “a pragmatic, more flexible and technologically neutral political approach to the decarbonisation of road transport.” ACEA is clear in its thinking: “The strict regulations on CO2 emissions from passenger cars and vans must be adapted to reality, which means that—with an EU market share of battery electric cars still only 15.6 per cent—”enabling conditions” need to be improved: recharging infrastructure and market stimuli. “Incentives, incentives, incentives,” reads a statement from the industry association. With regard to vans, whose electric share is 8.5 per cent, ACEA calls for “special attention.” 

The EU executive is said to have reassured the automotive giants on the review of the regulation that will impose a stop to diesel and petrol engines from 2035: it will be “brought forward as soon as possible”, a spokesman for the vice-president said. With “a specific focus” on vans, he points out. “We have listened to the concerns of industry and granted the necessary flexibility. We will combine decarbonisation and technology neutrality,” von der Leyen said in the afternoon. 

The main discussions focused, according to a reconstruction provided by the EU executive, on strengthening European leadership in electric vehicles, accelerating innovation in autonomous and connected vehicles, and strengthening the European battery manufacturing industry. On this point, the Commission is planning an investment of €1.8 billion. 

In the area of innovation, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to accelerate research and innovation in the automotive sector at the EU level, with the aim of “positioning Europe as a leader in sustainable and intelligent mobility by 2035 and beyond.”