A recent study suggests that the European Union’s change in policy on banning internal combustion engines is creating uncertainty and could lead to revenue losses in the electric‑vehicle market. By weakening the 2035 CO₂ reduction target, the projected share of electric vehicles is expected to drop by 15 percentage points to 85 %, and vehicle CO₂ emissions would be 10 % higher than originally forecasted, the study-reported by newspapers of the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”-states, with figures from Brussels‑based think‑tank T&E.
Under the new rules, classic ICEs will still be sold, as will hybrids and plug‑in EVs equipped with range‑extenders-a small gasoline engine that charges the battery while driving. Sebastian Bock, managing director of T&E Germany, describes the policy shift as “betting on several horses when only one remains in the race”. He argues that, while the world is being electrified, the rhetoric of “technology openness” is used to redirect investment to outdated technologies that are detrimental to both the economy and the climate. Bock warns that this could cause Germany to fall behind and lead to long‑term job losses in its key automotive industry.
According to the study, the EU’s 2050 strategy would result in an additional 720 million tonnes of CO₂‑equivalent emissions-a 10 % increase-after accounting for credits for low‑carbon steel.