{"text":[[{"start":12.98,"text":"Brussels plans to scrap the EU’s 2035 combustion engine ban, allowing carmakers to continue making a limited number of petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles after the prohibition was meant to come into effect."}],[{"start":31.66,"text":"The original ban was due to force carmakers to cut their production of all combustion engine vehicles to zero by 2035."}],[{"start":42.06,"text":"But under a revision of the law to be proposed by the European Commission on Tuesday, European car manufacturers would be allowed 10 per cent of 2021 emissions levels as long as they meet certain conditions."}],[{"start":56.95,"text":"According to two officials involved in the talks, these may include using green steel to produce vehicles. The bloc may also allow EVs to make use of range extenders — small backup fuel engines — which were previously set to be banned from 2035."}],[{"start":76.54,"text":"But the conditions are still being discussed by policymakers ahead of the proposal’s presentation, and any change would have to be endorsed by EU governments and the European parliament before becoming law."}],[{"start":92.74000000000001,"text":"The EU’s combustion engine ban was seen as a totemic part of the bloc’s Green Deal climate law. Carmakers heavily lobbied against it, arguing that it would be impossible for them to meet because of the slow take-up of EVs and patchy charging infrastructure."}],[{"start":110.63000000000001,"text":"Governments including Germany and Italy have also been highly critical of the ban, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying on Friday that he supported its easing. “The reality is that there will still be millions of combustion engine-based cars around the world in 2035, 2040 and 2050,” he said."}],[{"start":134.87,"text":"The EU’s move may increase pressure on Britain’s Labour government to follow suit, even as the UK has said it will not dilute its own plans to shift all new car sales to EVs from 2035."}],[{"start":151.01,"text":"Other countries such as Spain and France have supported enforcing the ban in the bloc. In a joint paper in October, Paris and Madrid said that the proposed move “must not be called into question” and that the future of the European car industry “will be electric”."}],[{"start":169.95,"text":"The two countries did, however, advocate for some flexibility such as “super credits” for cars made with European materials to ease pressure on the industry, which is also battling an influx of cheap Chinese EVs and high energy prices."}],[{"start":188.13,"text":"The commission was due to review the rules next year but brought forward the review under pressure from industry. It declined to comment on the talks."}],[{"start":198.21,"text":"The changes come even as sales of EVs in the EU have risen 26 per cent from January to October this year, accounting for 16 per cent of the new car market, according to European car industry body Acea."}],[{"start":215.11,"text":"The strong growth has been driven by more affordable models from both European and Chinese carmakers."}],[{"start":222.95000000000002,"text":"Environmental groups have argued that scrapping the 2035 ban now would widen the gap between the west and China, which has led the transition to EVs."}],[{"start":236.14000000000001,"text":"“Scrapping the ban would be a major mistake for Europe,” said Simone Tagliapietra, senior fellow at the Brussels-based think-tank Bruegel. ‘‘It would do little to help carmakers, as electrification is the future of the industry, and it would seriously undermine what is left of Europe’s reputation as a global climate leader.”"}],[{"start":259.13,"text":"But manufacturers from BMW and Renault to Stellantis have all argued that the pace of transition has been slower than expected, while the industry is under additional pressure since EVs generate less profit than traditional combustion engine models."}],[{"start":278.12,"text":"Thomas Schäfer, chief executive of the Volkswagen brand, insisted that ‘‘the future is electric”, speaking in Barcelona on Friday. ‘‘On the way there, you need a bit more flexibility to make sure that you can deliver what customers actually want.”"}],[{"start":304.87,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1765844522_5794.mp3"}