Official: EU scraps 2035 ban on new ICE car sales

European Commission’s major reversal comes after intensive lobbying by governments and car makers

Combustion-engined cars will be allowed to remain on sale after 2035 in the European Union (EU) under major changes put forward by the bloc’s top legislators.
The lifeline for car makers follows intensive lobbying from national governments and some of the industry’s biggest companies, including Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Stellantis.
More lenient rules drawn up by the European Commission (EC) amend the total ban on new ICE cars that was due to come into force from 2035. The new rules will need formal approval from the European Parliament, however.
Under the proposals, total tailpipe CO2 emissions from that year must be reduced by 90%, rather than 100%, compared with 2021. The previous 100% level effectively banned the sales of non-EVs from 2035.
The EC said this will allow hybrid and pure-ICE vehicles to remain on sale past 2035. 
It noted, however, that the remaining 1