EU officially inks complete ban on new combustion vehicles from 2035 onward
Following over five years of debate and a steadfast proposal introduced last year, the EU has agreed upon its first terms under a “Fit for 55” package to significantly reduce carbon emissions in Europe and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The EU agreement increases required cuts to carbon emissions by 2030 and issues a complete ban on new combustion cars and vans from 2035 onward.
The EU has been working to establish a wide ban on combustion vehicles for years now and is finally making some legislative headway. Countries like Germany have embraced a ban on new combustion vehicle sales as far back as 2016 and have since been joined by other countries like France and the Netherlands, including many of their respective local automakers.
The ban exists under the EU’s larger “Fit for 55” strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse emissions across its block of members by 55% by 2030, compared to 2021 numbers. This strategy has previously been criticized by conservative groups in the European Union as well as some automakers that believe such deadlines are simply not possible.
Others, like Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group, Ford, and Jaguar are all heavily onboard and have already begun pivoting their global production strategies toward becoming all-electric. Stellantis is even following suit, despite previous pessimistic comments from its CEO Carlos Tavares.
Volvo Cars has taken its carbon-cutting even further, announcing an exit from the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (ACEA) at the end of this year, stating that the long-running automotive lobby’s benchmarks are not ambitious enough. Stellantis is also cutting ties with the ACEA, but instead cited “challenges of future mobility and a shift away from traditional lobbying activity.”
Whether these EU countries or their local automakers believe a combustion ban by 2035 is possible or not, the legal steps to enforce it are underway, marking an epoch in the history of transportation that sets the stage for a future in which the EV is king.
EU combustion ban
According to a press release from The Council of the European Union, it has reached a provisional agreement with European Parliament to implement stricter CO2 emission standards for new cars and vans. Under the terms of this first agreed upon “Fit for 55” proposal, all EU automakers must reach a zero-emission target for new vehicle sales by 2035.
The decision means that new combustion cars will be banned from registered use on EU roads after 2035. These proposals amend existing rules first laid out in 2019. The aforementioned 55% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 is also a new increase from the previous goal of 37.5% compared to 2021 numbers. Anna Hubáčková, Czech minister of environment on the EU council, spoke:
Closing a first deal on a proposal from the ‘Fit for 55’ package is a strong signal that the EU is determined to make progress towards climate neutrality and the green transition. Zero-emission mobility will be a building block for slowing down climate change that can create severe disruptions in many sectors of our society, including environment, migration, food security and the economy.
According to the EU council, there will be some exceptions to the 2035 combustion ban. For example, Lamborghini, which is a relatively smaller combustion automaker with limited output, will receive an extra year to reach the outlined climate targets. Other alternatives like vehicles operating entirely on CO2-neutral fuels may still be able to seek new registrations after 2035. That specific proposal is still pending, however.
For now, new combustion vehicles will see a ban in the EU by 2035, and luckily, many automakers are already well on their way to bringing their CO2 emissions down to zero, but they’ll need to speed up for the benefit of the entire planet.
Across the pond, the state of California recently enacted a similar expiry for combustion vehicles. Considering 15 other states follow the same zero-emission regulations enacted in California and two more accept the state’s Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) regulations, you can expect those territories to also adopt the 2035 ban.
Section 177 of the Clean Air Act allows California to set its own emission standards stronger than the federal government while allowing other states to adopt those same standards. This means that as EV adoption continues to grow and more states back an end date for gasoline vehicles, we could soon see a federal ban on combustion, similar to the EU.
Automakers can whine all they want about the issues these bans may present on the global economy in the short term, but there is no point in talking about the economy if we don’t have a livable planet to economize. Even with these latest accelerations, we are still quite behind the eight ball on climate change, but news like this is of course encouraging.
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Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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