Merz called on the EU to lift the ban on sales of internal combustion engine cars from 2035.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the EU to lift the upcoming ban on sales of cars with internal combustion engines from 2035, Bloomberg reports.

According to F. Merz, instead of an outright ban, it is necessary to follow the path of a soft energy transition, introducing hybrids and increasing the range of internal combustion engines.

"I'm promoting this idea among EU heads of state and government, and I'm promoting it in the European Commission, so that we lift the ban on internal combustion engines and allow the use of range-extending technologies being developed by German car manufacturers and suppliers. I'm promoting the idea that we should allow the use of hybrid engines," he said.

The German Chancellor emphasized that he would voice this proposal at an informal meeting of EU leaders on October 1 in Copenhagen, where it is planned to discuss tightening climate targets until 2040.

The ban on sales of internal combustion engine vehicles was adopted in 2023 and will take effect in 2035, but it's already clear that the German auto industry is not ready. European electric cars are losing out to Chinese competition. BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz are warning of a looming crisis.

Earlier, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius, who heads the European automotive lobby ACEA, called on political leaders to show more flexibility and keep hybrid vehicles and fuel-efficient internal combustion engines on the market. He argued that if the EU ban is implemented as planned, it will alienate consumers, lead to a crisis in the industry, and threaten jobs.