Opel to be 100% electric in Europe
Falling costs of electric cars and renewable technology may halt growth in oil demand from as early as 2020. PHOTO: AFP
German carmaker Opel said on Thursday that it would stop producing cars with internal combustion engines in Europe by 2028, one of the most ambitious greening targets in the accelerating shift to electric vehicles.
Carmakers around the world have started setting timetables to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles in the face of increasingly strict anti-pollution standards put in place to fight climate change.
But among legacy brands only Jaguar has announced a more ambitious timetable than Opel, saying it aims to have 100% electric vehicle (EV) production by 2025.
Audi says it plans to stop making fossil fuel cars by 2033 while Sweden’s Volvo is aiming for 2030. In recent years, the German carmaker has reduced its range to focus on electric vehicles.
At a press conference on Thursday, Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller said the firm also planned to launch an EV range in the Chinese market, where Stellantis has so far failed to make inroads.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2021.
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