EU proposes exception for e-fuel combustion engines from 2035

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission has proposed allowing the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines after 2035 if they only run only on climate-neutral e-fuels, a document showed on Tuesday.

Yielding to German pressure, the commission suggested that such vehicles could be among those allowed from 2035 but their technology must be able to prevent them from driving if other fuels are used, the document outlining the Commission‘s proposals to Germany’s Transport Ministry showed.

The ministry was not immediately available for comment.

On Monday, the ministry said talks with the Commission about the planned end of new combustion engines from 2035 were moving forward, but added it could not say when an agreement would be reached.

(Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Rachel More)