Dec 10 2025: Europe’s major automakers are lobbying Brussels to soften or delay implementation of the planned 2035 ban on new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales. Industry groups argue that stricter deadlines could hinder competitiveness and investment, especially as electrification challenges persist in supply chains and EV infrastructure.

Automakers are proposing regulatory flexibility that would allow a gradual phase-down or hybrid pathways, enabling continued limited sales of cleaner combustion and plug-in hybrids beyond 2035. The push reflects broader pressures on the industry, which is balancing decarbonisation goals with economic realities and global competition, particularly from Chinese EV makers.