The European Pulse Forum is currently live from Barcelona, drawing attention to a significant sentiment among Europeans regarding the future of their vehicles. A new survey indicates that most Europeans are against the European Union’s initiative to phase out combustion engine cars within the next decade.
Survey reveals strong opposition across Europe
According to a recent survey conducted by POLITICO, 58 percent of respondents from six countries oppose an EU law that aims to effectively ban combustion engine cars by 2035. This finding comes as the EU faces mounting pressure from the automotive industry and several member states to reconsider this legislation.
This opposition signals a growing resistance to one of the EU’s key pieces of environmental legislation, which is part of its broader goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As concerns rise about competitiveness with China and the United States, as well as the survival of the industrial sector, the EU’s climate change measures are being met with skepticism.
Among the surveyed nations, Belgium displayed the strongest dissent, with 72 percent of Belgians opposing the proposed legislation. Interestingly, even in Germany, a nation at the heart of Europe’s automotive industry, 60 percent of respondents expressed their disapproval of the 2035 ban.
Consumer preferences clash with EU policy
The European Pulse survey, which polled 6,698 individuals across Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Belgium between March 13 and March 21, highlights the tension between consumer preferences and the EU’s overarching decarbonization efforts.
“The views highlight the clash between what consumers want and the Commission’s broader decarbonization efforts.”
In a notable shift, the EU overcame significant political hurdles in 2023 to pass legislation mandating that all new vehicles produced from 2035 must be zero-emission. However, less than two years later, this law is facing pushback from automakers and their political allies, who argue that the transition to electric vehicles is progressing more slowly than anticipated. They contend that banning combustion engines could further weaken Europe’s already challenged automotive sector, which is grappling with high energy costs and intense competition from technologically advanced Chinese manufacturers.
In response to these industry concerns, the European Commission proposed an automotive package in December that would allow for the continued use of combustion engines and other powertrains beyond 2035, provided automakers can offset their emissions through means such as green steel and alternative fuels.
The skepticism reflected in the POLITICO survey is not unprecedented. A Deloitte survey conducted in 2025 found that 45 percent of Belgian consumers still prefer diesel or gasoline-powered vehicles for their next car, despite favorable government policies aimed at promoting electric vehicle usage.
Nevertheless, market data tells a different story. The share of combustion engine cars is declining across the EU, with figures from the car lobby ACEA revealing an 8 percentage point drop in their combined market share to 30.6 percent in February 2026 compared to the previous year. In contrast, hybrids, which combine both combustion engines and electric motors, have increased their market share to 39 percent, while fully battery-powered vehicles account for 18.8 percent.
The ongoing conflicts in Iran and the subsequent rise in energy prices could alter public attitudes, as there are early indications of growing interest in used electric vehicles. However, automotive experts caution that any significant changes in new car sales will not materialize immediately due to delays between orders and deliveries.
As these market dynamics evolve, EU institutions are engaged in ongoing discussions regarding the future role of combustion engines in the reform of the 2035 legislation.