Ford Backed Group Says Companies Will Not Fight 2035 ICE Ban

In Europe – where Ford announced that it plans to transition its entire passenger vehicle lineup to EVs by 2030 or sooner a few years ago – that process is already in full swing, thanks to a bevy of new products that have either already debuted or are set to launch soon, paired with the development of at least one new platform, too. Thus, it’s no surprise that Ford has been busy fighting critics of a proposed ICE ban in the UK, and while some automakers are asking for this mandate to be softened, The Blue Oval actually wants tougher restrictions in that regard. However, Ford isn’t alone in terms of automakers who plan to sit out the fight against a 2035 ICE ban in Europe, according to Reuters.

Rather, ACEA – the European automaker’s association – recently stated that its members don’t plan to fight this legislation at all. “We are not contesting 2035,” Luca de Meo, president of the ACEA, who is also the CEO of Renault, said at the Geneva Motor Show. “Now we must get down to it.” De Meo also noted that “as business leaders,” the industry’s responsibility “is not to argue against the regulation.” As such, an ICE ban “is potentially feasible, but the right conditions must be put in place,” he noted. “There is no way the industry can go back to square one. It’s bad for the environment.”

These comments are notable as it’s unclear what might happen following the conclusion of the upcoming European parliamentary elections, which may wind up leading to proposed changes to the European Union’s decision to ban ICE vehicles by 2035 – especially as demand for all-electric vehicles has slowed in that region as of late.

In addition to Ford, ACEA has a number of other automakers in its membership – a list that includes Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Renault Group, Toyota, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo.

We’ll have more on this proposed ICE ban soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for ongoing Ford news coverage.