Europe says no to exception rule for Italian supercars

The Italian government is calling for an exceptional measure for the manufacturers of supercars, so that brands such as Ferrari and Lamborghini could make sports cars with combustion engines for longer. But the European Commission does not want to know about that.

Europe wants to be climate neutral by 2050. One of the plans to achieve these targets is a fully electric vehicle fleet from 2035. Exemptions are currently foreseen for manufacturers who build fewer than 10,000 vehicles per year, but the European Commission wants to change that rule as soon as possible. off as soon as possible. The Italian government argues just the opposite and wants extra protection for car manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, so that they can use combustion engines for a little longer.

The argument of Roberto Cingolani, the Italian minister in charge of the country’s “Ecological Transition”? That sports car manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati operate in a niche and that they need special technology to make the switch to 100% electric supercars. And that development simply costs more time and more money, which would justify an exceptional measure. But this argument is not met with much support from the European Commission, which states that all manufacturers must do their part to achieve the CO2 ambitions.

The European Commission’s plans still have to pass the European Parliament and need the support of European countries, so it remains to be seen before the ambitions translate into binding regulations. Most manufacturers have now switched, Ferrari and Maserati also have 100% electric models on the schedule.