On 14 February 2023, the EU Parliament decided that from 2035 only new cars that emit no CO₂ may be sold in the EU. This effectively means the end of the combustion engine in Europe from 2035. For car manufacturers and many automotive suppliers, this decision will lead to a major change, for which Helbako prepared early and successfully.
At Helbako, too, an entire product group will only be continued in small series from 2035 onwards: That of fuel pump controls. Helbako has developed and manufactured this intelligent pump control for supplying fuel to the engine in many generations for several car manufacturers.
Because the end of the combustion engine had been in sight for a long time, Helbako adjusted to this early on and specifically developed new product fields. For example, many of Helbako’s newly acquired electronic control systems and those under development are completely independent of the type of powertrain. Other products have even only come into being as a result of electromobility. The current resolution of the EU Parliament therefore strengthens us in our strategic orientation: we will continue to drive forward the transformation in our product portfolio and consistently exploit new opportunities in new market segments.
Even though the individual member states still have to approve the EU Parliament’s decision and there is an option to review the decision again in 2026, experts are certain that the combustion engine will no longer play a relevant role in new vehicles from 2035, at least in Europe. The possibility of selling combustion engines in new vehicles with e-fuels for longer was also only allowed for small series as well as for special vehicles, such as fire engines or ambulances.
However, existing vehicles are not affected by the new EU regulations. According to the current status, used cars with combustion engines may still be resold and registered after 2035 if it is not the initial registration.