Mercedes worries as EU softens petrol car ban

It seems that the plan to outright ban petrol-powered cars by 2035 won't happen after all.
Text: Magnus Groth-Andersen
Published 2026-02-10

Originally the EU was meant to outright ban petrol-powered cars by 2035 in its member countries, but recently this plan has been softened ever so slightly.

Instead, it was announced back in December that they would shift from an outright ban to a 90% Co2 reduction target.

This has created debate amongst car manufacturers, and in a big interview with Reuters Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius criticises the revised plan, and says it destabilises the market:

"There is a great risk that the market will shrink on the way there," he says, referring to the insecurity amongst consumers about how the EU will reach its Co2 target goal, instead of the much less confusing outright ban.

Back