A (small) step at COP26 towards the end of thermal vehicles
Eva Deschamps / November 11, 2021
Some 30 countries and a dozen carmakers pledged Wednesday at COP26 in Glasgow to work toward ending the sale of new combustion-powered cars and vans by 2040 at the latest.
Together, we will work to ensure that all new car and light truck sales are zero emission globally by 2040 and in major markets by 2035 at the latest, says the declaration, which has been signed by developed countries (Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, etc.) as well as a handful of developing countries including India and Turkey. In addition to cities and local authorities, a dozen car manufacturers have signed up to the declaration, including Ford, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes Benz and Volvo Cars, which has a factory in Ghent and is already well advanced on the road to electrification. However, there is no trace of the sector's behemoths, such as Toyota and Volkswagen, the two main world carmakers, or of Stellantis, the result of the merger between PSA and Fiat. Nor is the high-end electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla included.