The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2035, in an effort to control emissions and move towards electric vehicles - a big change.
The European Union Parliament voted to approve the new law, which will be sent to the European Council for formal approval.
In October 2022, negotiators from the European Parliament and 27 member states have already reached a political agreement on the issue. Now, that deal has been translated into a legal text, and Parliament voted yesterday, with 340 votes in favor and 279 against.
This is a move towards reaching the European Union's climate neutrality target of 2050. From 2035, it will ensure that all new cars on the market cannot emit CO2. This is to ensure that the transport sector becomes carbon neutral by 2050.
However, if you still own a petrol or diesel car in 2035, you can drive it. If you buy a new car now, you can drive it until the end of its life. But with the average lifespan of a car being 15 years, the EU needs to ban petrol and diesel by 2035, aiming for all cars to be CO2-neutral by 2050.
After 2035, it will still be possible to buy and sell second-hand petrol and diesel cars, but the total cost of ownership - including fuel costs, maintenance, purchase and insurance - will be subject to restrictions under EU law. This regulation encourages the production of zero- and low-emission vehicles.
These goals create clarity for the car industry and stimulate innovation and investment for car manufacturers. Zero-emission cars will become cheaper for consumers to buy and drive, and a second-hand market will emerge more quickly. This will make sustainable driving accessible to all.
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