Germany Hits Back Against Europe's Latest Proposed Combustion Ban

The head of the German government, on the other hand, is not happy about the idea.

A new report says that the rental car and large fleet proposal will be presented later this year. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is already outspoken about the possibility before it has even been announced, saying that it could destroy Europe's auto industry and calling for the region to remain "technologically open" to different vehicle types.

EU Could Force Electric Fleets Five Years Sooner

The European Commission is working on a plan that would ban rental car companies and other large companies from buying anything other than EVs for their vehicle fleets starting in 2030, German newspaper Bild reported. The publication cited sources familiar with the situation for the information. This, the report said, could affect 60% of the new car market.

According to the report, the Commission will present the proposal later in the summer. It will then be submitted for approval by the European Parliament.

If it proceeds, such a change would effectively bring forward a major section of the EU's planned combustion ban. The EU currently plans to phase out combustion engine sales by 2035, to be replaced by EVs. If nearly two-thirds of new vehicle sales in the EU are to these large fleets, it means EVs would make up the lion's share of new vehicle sales in less than five years. So far this year, EV sales make up 15.4% of new car registrations in the EU, says the European Automobile Manufacturer's Association.