Zero wants the Government to support the EU’s goal of selling exclusively electric vehicles by 2035.

The environmental association Zero wants the Government to support the European target of selling exclusively electric new vehicles by 2035, a target that it says depends more on political will and commitment to climate policies than on technology. In a statement, Zero considers that achieving the goal of selling 100% electric passenger and freight cars by 2035 is perfectly achievable. “The development of electric vehicles has made significant progress, including improvements in battery technology, range, and charging infrastructure. These advances make electric vehicles a more viable and attractive option for consumers.” The environmental association argues that in Europe, by no later than 2028, electric cars will be cheaper than fossil fuel-powered vehicles. “Contrary to what is often said, by 2035, 100% electric vehicles will be much cheaper to buy and use than polluting combustion cars.” Taking into account the reduction in the prices of electric cars in the near future, Zero reminds that “the feasibility of the 2035 target is not a technical issue, but rather a question of political will and commitment to existing climate and industrial policies.”

The association cites data from the European Environment Agency on car sales in 2023 by country. Zero states that in Portugal, out of the 196,959 new passenger cars registered, 49% are gasoline, 13% are diesel, 6% are LPG, almost 13% are plug-in hybrids, and almost 19% are fully electric.

According to the association, the average emissions of all these vehicles are 89 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. “These data show how essential it is to invest in electric vehicles, which in our country are powered by electricity with a large percentage coming from renewable sources (87% on average this year, between January and May)”.

For Zero, the European Union (EU) needs to do two things: “Firstly, car manufacturers and European politicians need to be firmly committed to the exclusive target of zero-emission cars by 2035 and accelerate the development of electric car models, especially the more affordable ones. Secondly, the EU should support and reward local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries with a green industrial plan to complement the European Green Deal. European policies should reward more sustainable local production, for example, through rules on carbon footprint. This industrial strategy should also be complemented by a European strategy to ensure the supply of essential raw materials”.