It is the beginning of the end for the internal combustion engine with the European Union agreeing to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.
Environment ministers from the 27 EU members convened on June 29 in Luxembourg to discuss how to combat climate change.
The decision was made to introduce a 100 percent CO2 emissions reduction target by 2035 for new cars and vans which will effectively end the sale of new cars powered by fossil fuels.
There’s also talk of banning the sale of used vehicles but that has yet to be decided.
An agreement on draft legislation was also made to slash greenhouse gases by at least 55 per cent in 2030 compared with the 1990 emission level.
Further negotiations are set to take place regarding the matter but the decision to ban the sale of new ICE cars is now definite.
A similar stance is being taken by the New Zealand government with plans to introduce a ban on ICE-powered imports and sales by 2040. A final decision has yet to be made.