ICE ban in Europe appears to be a movable feast
The European Union (EU27) had a long-held belief that pure electric drive vehicles (BEV) would replace all internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, starting with banning sales of pure mechanical drive powertrains from 2030 onwards, writes Andrew Marsh.
The UK adopts all of the type approval laws from the EU27. The second ‘ban’ phase in 2015 would stop all new vehicle sales with internal combustion engine ‘electrified’ powertrains (MHEV, HEV, PHEV, range-extender EV) for cars and LCVs. The situation for HGVs and PSVs extends into 2040.
ICE ban in Europe a movable feast
That was the plan. In spite of massive NGO activity, lots of ‘placed’ content, favourable company tax, reduced cost electricity and direct taxation of manufacturers in the UK related to BEV sales quotas, the 2030/2035 ban is at risk. Right across the EU27, the new BEV market take-up averages at 18% per annum, with many Eastern member states struggling to reach 10% per annum.
Meanwhile the vehicle manufacturers need laws with clarity and certainly. They already knew the 2030/2035 strategy was not working, incurring huge losses including destruction of their European operations. They pushed back.
The lobby has been intensive during 2025, with a target to unveil a revised internal combustion engine phase-out plan by 10 December 2025 – which was given as an EU27 Commission briefing on 16 December 2025. This will go before MEPs and EU27 member states during 2026, so the debate will continue.
The headline is the internal combustion engine could live beyond 2035 but CO2 exhaust emissions could reduce by 90% by 2035 from 2021 levels. In effect this means a much smaller number of internal combustion engines coupled to ‘electrified’ powertrains than is possible in 2025. Favourite solution? Range extender EV. This is likely to be the front runner to eclipse MHEV, HEV and PHEV.
So, in effect, the absolute decision to ban internal combustion engines has become a definite maybe to reconsider, which is not lost on NGOs lobbying for BEVs only.
2026 is going to be emotional.
