Volvo, Uber, Ayvens and 47 other companies: ‘EU goal of 100 percent clean cars by 2035 should not be renegotiated’

Brussels – The CEOs and executives of 50 European companies have called on the EU not to re-open the 2035 target of selling only zero-emission cars and vans. In a public appeal released today, managers from the automotive, clean technology, transportation, and energy sectors- including Volvo Cars, Uber, and leasing company Ayvens – say the target is “feasible and necessary.” Electric vehicle manufacturers Polestar and Rivian joined the initiative, as did logistics company Maersk, retailers Metro and Tesco, and IKEA’s largest franchisee, Ingka. 

Climate objective points in the right direction

Emissions from cars and vans account for over an eighth (13 percent) of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, while CO2 emissions from cars increased by 6 percent between 2000 and 2019. “The 2035 target gives a clear direction that will allow us businesses, alongside all other stakeholders, to focus on
delivering the transformation required,” the executives say in a statement on Industryfor2035.org, the platform created with the collaboration of Transport & Environment and Climate Group. “It also provides the much-needed investment certainty on the future of the
automotive industry in Europe,” they add.

Businesses are asking decision-makers to keep the goals

All of the signatories say they are strongly committed to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal, and point out that many of them have invested considerable resources to achieve it. “We therefore call on decision-makers to not reopen the recently adopted car and van CO2 standards in 2026 and thereby maintain the 100% zero-emission car target in 2035,” the statement reads.

T&E: “Don’t ignore that part of the industry that believes in the transition”

Andrea Boraschi, director of Transport & Environment Italy, said, “This appeal is a reminder to consider the motives and commitment of a large part of European industry, which believes in the transition, has invested and is investing to make it possible. Its voice should not be ignored, starting with the Italian government that wants to advance the revision of the regulation to 2025 only to weaken it.”

Climate Group: “Businesses need regulatory stability”

Dominic Phinn, head of transport at Climate Group, argues: “To continue to make the transformations needed to reduce emissions radically, Europe’s CEOs and industry executives need regulatory stability. Their message to the Union’s new policymakers is: ‘Don’t let us down.’ Showing uncertainty about the agreement to phase out endothermic vehicles to 2035 would jeopardize their investments, fleet decarbonization goals, and ultimately the EU’s climate neutrality goal.”

Businesses call for an industrial policy that supports the transition

Companies stress that the 2035 zero-emissions target received a democratic mandate from EU governments and MEPs in March 2023. Rather than re-open already approved legislation, companies believe efforts should focus on implementing what was already agreed: targeted industrial policy and investment support for a sustainable European battery supply chain, deployment of charging infrastructure and growth of renewable energy, decarbonization of corporate fleets and re-skilling workers for the electric transition.