Volkswagen will only sell EV in Europe by 2035

Volkswagen joins the growing list of automakers that will (eventually) stop selling ICEs

More and more automakers around the world are preparing to make the shift towards electric mobility. Brands like Audi, Bentley, Honda, Jaguar, Mini, and Volvo have already announced their intent to sell only electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future.

Joining that growing list of automakers is Volkswagen who recently said that they are going to end sales of cars with internal combustion engines (ICEs) by 2035. But don't expect Volkswagen's plan to be a global mandate 14 years from now.

According to a report by Automotive News Europe, Klaus Zellmer, Volkswagen's Sales Chief, confirmed that the automaker will indeed stop selling ICEs in the foreseeable future. But he reiterated that this will only take effect in Europe, for now at least.

“In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later. In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing,” said Zellmer.

Understanding that not all parts of the globe have the necessary infrastructure for EVs, markets such as the US, China, Africa, South America, and likely Asia-Pacific will still have combustion engines for sale from Volkswagen. That means countries like the Philippines will continue to have ICE models for years to come.

However, come 2050, Volkswagen expects that its entire fleet should be CO2 neutral by then, added Zellmer.

To date, Volkswagen's lineup of production EVs consists of the ID.3, ID.4, ID.6, and the e-Up. Other concept cars like the ID. Buzz, ID. Vizzion, and ID. Roomzz has yet to spawn a production model. The company, however, does plan on making more electric models under the ID. family, with a production version of the Buzz van already on the way.

2035 is still a long way off. But with technology continuously improving and emission regulations becoming more strict, it's no wonder that brands like Volkswagen are already making plans. Hopefully, the Philippines will be able to catch up to the rest of the world as electrification becomes the new automotive trend in not so distant future.