European legislators decided on Thursday night to phase out the sale of new combustion engine cars and vans by the year 2035.
The agreement was reached at around 21:00 CET and is the first to be made in accordance with the bloc’s flagship Fit for 55 package, which aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
By 2035, all CO2 emissions will have been eliminated, effectively banning the sale of new cars with combustion engines. The new legislation calls for a target reduction in CO2 emissions of 55% for new cars and 50% for new vans by 2030 compared to 2021 levels.
According to the European Environment Agency, transportation is responsible for nearly two-thirds of the EU’s oil consumption and 30% of its total greenhouse gas emissions.
