Italy has called on the European Union to completely review its ban on the sale of petrol-powered cars from 2035, fearing the move could lead to the “collapse” of the EU’s car industry.
Several ministers of the government of Giorgia Meloni have positioned themselves in recent hours against the Community climate policy, arguing that it is an “absurd” strategy supported by ideological motivations and that it currently requires changes that reflect “market realities” in the face of the general opinion. slowdown in sales of electric cars.
Furthermore, Rome believes there is growing concern that European manufacturers such as Volkswagen or Stellantis are increasingly falling behind competition from China and the United States, where local companies have benefited in recent years from an avalanche of public subsidies that have financed the transformation of their industries.
The Italian Minister of Industry, Adolfo Ursohas spoken in recent hours of an “uncertain panorama” affecting, among others, the German automobile industry where, he says, “clarity” is necessary to avoid reaching a situation of “collapse”.
“Europe needs a pragmatic vision, the ideological vision has failed. We have to recognise that,” he commented, while affirming that he was not opposed to the enlargement of the electric vehiclealthough it also assumes that the transition to new mobility technologies should involve the use of other types of propulsion such as hybrid or hydrogen.
In fact, the party of the government coalition, the League, led by the deputy prime minister Matteo Salviniis ready to propose legislation to force the Meloni executive to revoke the ban in his country, as reported last Friday.
Italy and gasoline cars
The Italian’s comments come amid a crisis with Volkswagen in Germany, where the group is facing worker protests over the possible closure – for the first time in its 87-year history – of at least two plants in the country and the resulting layoffs due to a lack of orders justifying the plants’ continued operation.
In July, the group admitted it was considering closing the Audi factory in Brussels (Belgium) due to the drop in demand for high-end electric cars.
For their part, other manufacturers such as Stellantis reported a 36% drop in production in Italy at the end of last semester. At the group’s plant in Mirafiori (Turin), where the electric Fiat 500s are assembled, production between January and June fell by 63% and activity had to be suspended for 30 days last month.
