FAQs on the phase-out of combustion engines in 2035 and electric mobility

The ban on combustion engines will apply to new cars from 1 January 2035.

However, fleet-wide CO₂ emission standards have been in force since 2012. According to these targets, the average CO₂ emissions of all newly registered cars in the EU must be gradually reduced. These targets have become increasingly rigorous since then and will result in the phase-out of combustion engines by 2035.

This only affects new registrations. Already registered cars with combustion engines may continue to be driven, sold and repaired.

Yes, for the time being the regulation only applies to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Lorries and buses have been subject to separate regulations since 2020.e haben seit dem Jahr 2020 eigene Regeln.

Plug-in hybrids will also no longer be permitted for new registration after 2035, as they are powered by a petrol or diesel engine in addition to an electric motor.

Vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells are considered to be emission-free and can be registered in the long term without penalty payments.

However, it should be noted that fuel cell vehicles are significantly more expensive to purchase and operate than battery electric vehicles. Consequently, they do not play a central role in the development of passenger cars and small vans.

Yes. Until 2035, manufacturers producing only small volumes of cars are subject to other targets. However, the general deadline of 2035 for the phase-out of combustion engines remains in place for all manufacturers.

According to the German government's 2025 Projection Report, phasing out combustion engines is the measure projected to have the greatest impact on reducing CO₂ emissions. The report compared the phase-out of combustion engines with the previous fleet-wide emission standards. This is expected to result in around 11.5 million fewer tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) by 2035. From 2040 onwards, emissions will be reduced by more than 17 million tonnes of CO₂-e per year.

Yes, the greenhouse gas emissions of an electric car over its entire life cycle are substantially lower than those of a vehicle with a combustion engine. A new electric vehicle offers a climate benefit over a diesel car after travelling 45,000 kilometres at most. This benefit is achieved even sooner when compared to a car fuelled with petrol. As the proportion of green electricity increases, this benefit will continue to grow in the future.

A car with a medium-sized 65 kWh battery causes a carbon footprint of 25 to 30 grams of CO₂e per kilometre over the vehicle's lifetime. This corresponds to emissions of around six tonnes of CO₂e for the production of a 65 kWh battery. However, with increasing production capacities for battery materials and batteries in Europe, a substantial reduction in emissions from battery production is to be expected.

A profound structural change: fewer parts in the drive system, but opportunities in battery production, charging infrastructure and software.

Yes, partly – particularly in CO₂-intensive combustion engine technology. However, new jobs are also being created in areas such as battery production and software development. Overall, the impact on the economy depends on how many electric vehicles are developed and produced in Germany. Without the transition to electric cars, the global trend towards electric vehicles would result in a substantial number of job losses in the medium to long term.

Yes, in areas such as charging infrastructure, renewable energies and vehicle software.

The automotive industry is a key sector for the German economy, with 70 percent of jobs in the German automotive industry dependent on car exports to other countries. In 2024, 20 percent of newly registered cars worldwide were either entirely electric or plug-in hybrids. New registrations of cars with electric drives will continue to rise in the future – even outside China and the EU.

Sales of electric cars are growing strongly worldwide. In 2024, more than 20 percent of newly registered passenger cars were either entirely electric or plug-in hybrids. In China, the largest car market, the share was already approx. 50 percent in 2024. This corresponds to more than 11 million new electric passenger cars (including plug-in hybrids). Growth is also taking place outside the three major markets of China, the USA and the EU, where the number of new electric passenger cars rose by around 40 percent in 2024.

In 2025, the share of new electric car registrations in Germany was slightly above the European average. The leading countries in Europe, however, are mainly in Scandinavia and the Benelux countries.