A coalition of chief executives and top brass from 50 companies has issued a clarion call to the EU, urging it not to revisit the 2035 zero-emission target for cars and vans. The appeal, made public today, comes from leaders in the automotive, clean tech, transport, and energy sectors, including heavyweights such as Volvo Cars, Maersk, Uber, and Europe’s largest leasing company, Ayvens.
The 2035 target, which aims to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and vans, is described by the executives as both “feasible and necessary”. In a statement on Industryfor2035.org, they emphasised that the target provides a clear trajectory for businesses and stakeholders to drive the required transformation and offers crucial investment certainty for the automotive industry in Europe.
Signatories include electric vehicle (EV) makers Polestar and Rivian, electric utility Iberdrola, retailer Tesco, and Ingka, the largest franchisee of IKEA. All signatories expressed a strong commitment to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal and noted significant investments already made towards this objective.
Dominic Phinn, Head of Transport at Climate Group, underscored the importance of regulatory stability for business transformations. “Their message to newly appointed EU policy makers is: ‘Don’t let us down.’ Wavering on the agreed 2035 phase-out of the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles would jeopardise their investments, their fleet decarbonisation objectives and, ultimately, the EU climate neutrality goal,” Phinn said.
The companies highlighted that the 2035 zero-emission target received a democratic mandate from EU governments and MEPs in March 2023. They advocated for focusing on implementing agreed legislation rather than reopening it, emphasising the need for targeted industrial policy, investment support for a sustainable local battery value chain, charging infrastructure rollout, greening corporate fleets, and reskilling workers for the electric transition.
Alex Keynes, Cars Policy Manager at Transport & Environment, warned against changing the 2035 target. “Changing the 2035 target would mean tearing up the map that businesses have based their investments on. Instead, let’s support the transition with a green automotive plan that focuses on a speedier charging ramp-up and boosting demand through faster fleet electrification. There also needs to be support for local, clean battery manufacturing,” Keynes said.
Car and van emissions account for more than one-eighth (13%) of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, with CO2 emissions from cars increasing by 6% between 2000 and 2019.
Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo Cars, emphasised the importance of the 2035 target for aligning stakeholders and ensuring European competitiveness. “Electrification is the single biggest action our industry can take to cut its carbon footprint. The 2035 target is crucial to align all stakeholders on this journey and ensure European competitiveness. We urge EU policy makers to focus on what actions we need to take to get there, rather than reopening legislation just agreed on,” Rowan said.
Matt Ersin, Senior Director for Government and Public Affairs of Fastned, echoed the sentiment, stating, “Maintaining the 2035 zero-emission target is essential – not just for a sustainable future, but for securing Europe’s competitive edge in the global mobility and automotive industries. By leading the charge toward zero emissions, Europe can set the standard for innovation and sustainability.”
The declaration underscores the growing consensus among industry leaders that ambitious climate targets are not only necessary for environmental sustainability but also critical for economic competitiveness. The EU’s response to this call will be closely watched as it navigates the complex landscape of climate policy and industrial transformation.
