German state leaders call on EU to soften 2035 combustion engine ban

The leaders of Germany's 16 federal states have called on the European Union to review a ban on the sale of new combustion engines from 2035.

A rigid ban on combustion engine technology from 2035 onwards, without consideration of its actual feasibility, would not only jeopardize core industrial competencies and the competitiveness of Germany ... but also the social acceptance of electric mobility," the state leaders said in a statement published following a meeting.