Overview
- Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said internal-combustion cars will be allowed beyond 2035 if powered by synthetic fuels or advanced biofuels.
- He said 2035 fleet targets will be revised to include zero- and low-emission fuels, shifting regulatory focus from vehicle types to fuel supply and performance.
- The announcement followed a letter from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urging Ursula von der Leyen to keep all technologies open during the transition.
- Tzitzikostas cautioned the updated EU automotive package could be delayed as the Commission revises texts and the plan awaits formal adoption.
- German industry leaders from BMW, Volkswagen and the VDA welcomed the change, calling e-fuels a climate-aligned option that supports jobs and competitiveness.