ROME – The internal combustion engine is destined for extinction. Italy has also decided: the date will be 2035 with an extension to 2040 for vans and light commercial vehicles. This was established by Cite, the inter-ministerial committee for ecological transition, led by ministers Roberto Cingolani (Ecological transition), Enrico Giovannini (Infrastructure and sustainable mobility) and Giancarlo Giorgetti (Economic development). A decision “in line with most of the advanced countries” reads in the press release with some distinctions, however. Such as the possibility of “implementing all the functional solutions for the decarbonisation of transport in a logic of technological neutrality, thus enhancing not only electric vehicles but also the potential of hydrogen, as well as recognizing – for the transition – the essential role of biofuels, in which Italy is building a state-of-the-art domestic supply chain “. With lots of possible exceptions as regards niche manufacturers:” specific measures could possibly be evaluated with the European Commission within the Community rules “‘
One in five Italians would buy an electric car. The hybrid convinces one in 2. The diesel surprise
by Valerio Berruti
All this, however, was not enough to reassure the automotive world. Starting with the Anfia which represents the production chain of Italian companies. THE communiqué released “surprised and seriously alarmed all the entrepreneurs and the tens of thousands of workers who risk their jobs due to too much acceleration towards electrification” Recalling that just a few days before the Clepa, the association European component industry, had published a study that quantifies the occupational and economic damage deriving from the possible banning of internal combustion engines in 2035. Only Italy, in fact, according to the study “risks losing, by 2040, approximately 73,000 jobs, of which 67,000 already in the period 2025-2030. We are facing losses that the new professional skills linked to the electrification of vehicles will not be enough to compensate ”.
Hybrid but diesel: why they are convenient and which models to focus on
by Matteo Morichini
The confrontation will still be long and very hard even if by now the industry itself has given a decisive acceleration towards total electrification, an obligatory path to achieve the European objectives. Or rather, the European Commission’s proposal provides for a 60% cut in CO2 emissions for cars and light commercial vehicles by 2030 (compared to 37.5% of current legislation), followed by a 100% cut by 2035. 100% emissions means that it will become impossible to sell vehicles with internal combustion engines that emit carbon dioxide by burning fuel.
Thus, since the beginning of the year, a race has begun to present strategic plans that aim only at battery-powered models. From Jaguar to Volvo, from Volkswagen to Toyota, from Renault to Stellantis, each group has budgeted colossal investments and product plans where the electric becomes increasingly dominant.
Now let’s see what are the deadlines and programs of other European countries for banning internal combustion engines. Considering that Germany and France, the first and second markets of the old continent, have not yet taken a definitive position.
Norway: 2025
Norway will be the first European country to ban the sale of internal combustion cars in 4 years, starting from 2025. “We are on track to reach the goal,” explained the president of the Norwegian Road Federation, Øyvind Thorsen, commenting on the results. last year when sales of electric vehicles (BEVs) surpassed those powered by petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrids. With 54.3% pure electric sales in 2020 compared to 42.4% in 2019 and just 1% ten years ago, the Nordic country ranks first in the world for the share of battery-only cars. The Audi e-tron was the best-selling last year and even in the previous two years the leaders were fully electric: the Tesla Model 3 (2019) and the Nissan LEAF (2018). For 2021 the forecast is to exceed 65% of e-cars.
Denmark: 2030
To achieve the objectives formulated in 2018 to ban the sale of new cars with petrol and diesel engines by 2030 and plug-in hybrids after 2035, the Danish Parliament approved a tax plan with a budget of around 340 million euros. at least 775,000 electric and hybrid cars to be put into circulation by the end of the decade. The plan includes a gradual increase in CO2-related taxes for cars with internal combustion engines and incentives for electric cars and recharging. “The average electric car will be significantly cheaper in the next few years”, explained Finance Minister Morten Boedskov, because the government’s goal is to reach one million low-emission cars by 2030. Currently there are only 20,000 cars. electric cars in Denmark, 0.8% of the 2.5 million cars in circulation.
Ireland (2030)
The Irish government has great ambitions to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by exploiting the potential of a relatively small country where 63% of the population lives in urban areas with distances ranging from 170 to 260 km. To these are added a large availability of renewable energies that derive from wind power and the wave motion of the seas. In 2019, the Climate Action Plan decreed a ban on the sale of internal combustion vehicles from 2030. In addition, last year the Government doubled investments to 36 million euros for a generous package of incentives for electric vehicles, investments in low-emission technologies and adequate charging infrastructures. The share of BEVs rose to 4.5% in 2020 and is expected to double this year.
Netherlands (2030)
The Netherlands, with 21% share of electric vehicles and 4% of plug-in hybrids, has become one of the main green mobility markets both in Europe and globally. In addition to the substantial purchase incentives and tax reliefs distributed over the years, the Netherlands boasts the largest number of public charging stations in Europe. In addition, cities like Amsterdam, which aspires to be carbon free by 2030, Rotterdam and The Hague offer free public charging points at the request of individuals and businesses when charging at home or in the workplace is not feasible. The government also aims to have a minimum of 30 cities that implement zero-emission zones for urban logistics by 2025. The country is therefore on track to meet the 2030 target of selling only zero-emission vehicles.
Sweden (2030) 9 YEARS
Sweden aims to move away from fossil fuels for cars starting in 2030, with a climate action plan from December 2019 that set out measures to achieve these goals. The incentive package adopted so far has evidently favored the sale of plug-in hybrids which at the end of 2020 reached 32% of share, however the absolute higher increase (+ 310%) of electric has brought them to 10% of market share. The new bonus-malus policy linked to CO2 emissions has increased the incentive for electric vehicles by 1,000 euros, favoring their growth, also driven by a 25% increase in tax benefits for companies that replace the fleet with zero-fuel vehicles emissions.
Great Britain (2030)
Britain, which in 2017 had planned to ban the sale of endothermic vehicles in 2040, then anticipated in 2032, last November set it at 2030. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also added that “the sale of cars and plug-in hybrid vans with significant range in electric mode only until 2035 “. In support of the so-called green revolution, the government has allocated 1.3 billion pounds in charging points and 583 million in incentive packages for the purchase of electric vehicles and nearly 500 million for battery production in the Midlands and north-east England.
.