The decision of the European Union to end combustion engines by 2035, as reported by AutoGear, is deemed “unrealistic” by Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault and President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
In an interview with the French newspaper Les Echos, the Renault executive expressed doubts about the timeline for transitioning to electric mobility in Europe. He added that the ban on sales of combustion engine models by 2035 is “challenging” to achieve and emphasized the need for “a little more flexibility in the schedule.”
It is worth noting that the recent EU elections and the weak demand for 100% electric vehicles globally have led to calls to revoke the EU’s ban on diesel and gasoline car sales by 2035. This measure is expected to be reviewed in 2026.
However, Luca de Meo emphasized that “we should not exploit the current market slowdown to simply abandon the goal. It would be a serious strategic mistake.”
In addition, the CEO of Renault also pointed out that “automotive electrification is part of progress”, and “we should not refuse progress”. According to Luca de Meo, the automotive industry has invested tens of billions of euros in the transition to electric mobility, and therefore it is not a solution to “throw away this investment”.
It should be noted that the CEO of Renault had already warned in February that a possible setback in the ban on combustion engines by 2035 would be welcome but complicated.
More recently, in May, during the Geneva Motor Show, Luca de Meo said he hoped that the ban should happen a little later, because he believes that we will not be able to do it without harming the entire industry and the entire European Union.
