Europe's automakers will not challenge the European Union's decision to effectively ban fossil-fuel vehicles as of 2035 no matter who wins this year's European parliamentary elections, the head of the continent's auto industry group said.
Speaking at a press conference at the Geneva auto show on Monday, Luca de Meo, president of the ACEA, the European automakers association, said the auto industry's responsibility "as business leaders... is not to argue against the regulation.”
"We are not contesting 2035," said de Meo, who is also CEO Renault. "Now we must get down to it."
A fossil-fuel car ban in 2035 "is potentially feasible, but the right conditions must be put in place," he added.
De Meo said the industry has already invested billions in electrification and this would be wasted if the combustion engine phase out was dropped. "There is no way the industry can go back to square one. It's bad for the environment," he said.
Slowing growth in demand for electric vehicles has increased the pressure on Europe's auto industry to cut costs and develop more affordable models as new Chinese rivals arrive with lower-cost models.
Automakers have argued repeatedly that more government subsidies and more ubiquitous charging infrastructure are needed to spur demand for EVs and encourage mass adoption.
Nick Gibbs contributed to this report
