In a twist for EU leaders and Member States, it became apparent earlier this month that Germany was not going to approve a previously agreed deadline for the total phase-out of the sale of new vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines (ICEs).
Earlier this year in February, the EU Parliament voted in favour of a proposal to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles across the EU, with effect from 2035. That ban would have coincided with similar proposals from other jurisdictions, including the UK (proposed ban to come into effect from 2030), and plans from OEMs themselves to discontinue entire petrol and diesel product lines. However, an effort, spearheaded by Germany, has changed all that.