Overview
- EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the Commission is "open for all technologies" and noted that Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s appeal for "high‑efficiency" engines was "very positively received."
- Officials signaled the planned 10 December presentation of the Commission’s auto package may be postponed by a few weeks, with publication possible in early January.
- Under consideration are allowances for new combustion models only when operated on e‑fuels or advanced biofuels and potential differentiation between private buyers and company fleets through stricter electric‑vehicle quotas for corporate purchases.
- The review is driven by worries over competitiveness and jobs, with the German auto lobby calling for faster charging infrastructure and industry voices split between seeking flexibility and insisting battery‑electric cars remain the only viable long‑term option.
- Consultancy findings cited in reports warn that keeping strict 2035 CO2 rules could push European automakers into losses and leave them trailing Chinese battery‑electric rivals.