EU softens 2035 petrol and diesel car ban as Tory leader eyes UK scrap

The European Union (EU) has abandoned plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, according to senior EU lawmaker Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party. It’s a major shift from the bloc’s earlier strategy to phase out combustion engines entirely by 2035, after recent rumours that the ban might be pushed to 2040.

Instead of a full ban, car manufacturers will now face a target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 90% for new cars from 2035 onwards, rather than 100%. There will also be no mandatory 100% target from 2040, Weber told German tabloid Bild.

Weber said this decision ensures that petrol and diesel engines currently manufactured in Germany can continue to be produced and sold, preserving tens of thousands of jobs in the automotive sector.

“EU governments such as Germany and Italy, and carmakers, including Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Stellantis, had been lobbying for more flexible rules,” he added. “This sends a strong signal to the entire automotive industry.”

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What does this mean for the UK?

Electric car sales in the UK are still growing, up 26% so far in 2025, but growth has slowed, with November sales only 3.6% higher than last year. Many carmakers are also struggling to hit government targets that require 28% of cars sold in 2025 to be zero-emission, rising to 33% in 2026.

UK government policies have sent mixed messages. The Electric Car Grant, introduced in July, was meant to encourage EV sales, but plans for a pay-per-mile eVED tax from 2028 have left some drivers regretting buying their EVs.

For instance, a driver who spoke to the Daily Mail and This Is Money, James Sponder, said: “I probably wouldn’t have gone for the car if I’d known the rules were going to change so dramatically. I don’t think it’s a good idea.

“If the goal is to encourage everyone to switch to EVs, you can’t then start taxing people – it just puts everyone off.”

The UK’s own ban on new petrol and diesel cars is currently set for 2030, though some hybrids that can travel a meaningful distance on electric power may still be sold until 2035. The government remains firm on these targets.

A spokesperson from the Department for Transport (DfT) told Carwow: “We remain committed to phasing out all new non-zero emission car and van sales by 2035. More drivers than ever are choosing electric, and November saw another month of increased sales with EV’s accounting for one in four cars sold.”

The government is investing over £7.5bn to support drivers and manufacturers to make the switch to zero emission. This includes £4bn investment to back British manufacturing and R&D, create jobs, and drive growth in the sector, the spokesperson added.

But the Conservatives have a different approach to the ban on new petrol and diesel cars. Leader Kemi Badenoch says the party would scrap the ban if they win the next election in 2029.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, she argues that the EU’s decision to ease its EV rules leaves Labour isolated, and pressing ahead with the ban alone could put the UK’s car industry at a disadvantage while benefiting foreign competitors.

Badenoch also branded the electric vehicle quotas as “economic self-harm”.

“The only winners in this economy are China, who have happily profited from our decision to accelerate demand for electric vehicles without first securing our own battery and mineral supply chains,” she said.

Badenoch says her government would still support a move toward cleaner transport, but one focused on affordability, practicality, and new technology – rather than strict mandates that could hurt domestic manufacturing.

Scrapping the ban, she adds, would give the UK’s car industry the “space” to rebuild and compete globally.

The column comes after Badenoch met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has urged the EU to ease its petrol car ban plans. She joins six other EU leaders, including Poland’s Donald Tusk, in calling on the EU to rethink its 2035 ban, warning it could hurt industry and jobs.

Now that the EU has made this major announcement, and the leader of opposition has chimed in on the matter, the UK government could face pressure to reconsider its rules. For drivers, this could mean more choice for years to come. Petrol and diesel cars may stay competitively priced while EV prices remain high, giving you time to decide whether to stick with a traditional car or switch to electric – all without being pressured by new regulations.

But for now, both UK drivers and carmakers are watching closely to see if the EU’s drastic move signals a significant slowdown in the shift to electric cars.

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