EU split over plan to let cars pollute more

Seven EU countries, including Spain, are fighting a proposal that would weaken climate rules for cars. They warn it could delay the shift to electric vehicles and hurt Europe’s green investments. The battle is taking place in Brussels. At the center of the dispute are plug-in hybrid cars and synthetic fuels. These technologies are now at the heart of a debate on how fast the EU should cut emissions from cars. Spain has joined France, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden. Together, they reject any major relaxation of the rules. They say changing the rules now would be a “strategic error.” It would undermine years of investment in electric cars, they argue. The European Commission has proposed a small change. It wants to lower the 2035 target from a 100% cut in emissions to 90%. The remaining 10% could be offset using low-emission steel or renewable fuels. Critics say this would allow hybrid and combustion engine cars to stay on the market longer. The push for more flexibility comes from the European People’s Party (EPP) and some carmakers. A draft law by Italian MEP Massimiliano Salini goes further than the Commission’s plan. It would let carmakers use more credits for green steel and renewable fuels. Salini says his plan is “realistic” and “technology-neutral.” It treats cars running on synthetic fuels or biofuels as “carbon neutral.” It also delays stricter rules for vans and extends the time companies have to meet targets. Carmakers like Volkswagen support the change. CEO Oliver Blume says the market is not ready for a full shift to electric cars. He wants more time and fewer penalties. But French carmakers are less enthusiastic. Plug-in hybrids are a key part of the debate. Sales are growing. From January to April 2026, they made up 9.6% of new car sales in the EU, up from 7.9% a year earlier. But critics say the cars pollute more than advertised. A study by the European Commission found that plug-in hybrids emit 3.5 times more CO2 in real driving than in lab tests. Spain and its allies say keeping the current rules would give hybrids an unfair advantage. The real issue is bigger than car technology. It is about the future of Europe’s car industry. One side wants clear rules to attract investment in electric cars and batteries. The other side wants more flexibility to protect jobs and compete with China and the US. For now, the EU is deeply divided. The outcome will shape the future of driving in Europe for decades.