The German auto industry has protested against the European Parliament's decision to ban the sale of gasoline and diesel cars by 2035, saying it is harmful to the market and consumers.

On June 8, members of the European Parliament voted to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine cars in the European Union by 2035. The decision is tantamount to banning automakers from selling new cars powered by gasoline or diesel in 27 countries.

If agreed, it would in effect mean the end of the era of fuel cars in Europe, the complete end of a mode of transport that has dominated for more than a century. It would also be a key victory for the EU's climate agenda, with transport proving to be one of the hardest industries to decarbonize.

But the German auto industry said in a statement that the decision of the European Parliament was "bad for citizens, bad for markets, bad for innovation and bad for modern technology".

According to media reports, Hildegard M ü ller, president of the German Association of Automobile Manufacturers, said that Europe did not have enough charging infrastructure to support the ban and that it was too early for the European Parliament to act. M ü ller said: "this will increase the cost of consumers and put consumer confidence at risk. "

The German Automobile Association is not the only body that opposes it. It is said that passenger cars account for 12 per cent of all transport-related carbon dioxide emissions in the EU, but overall, traffic emissions account for about 25 per cent.

The German Association of Automobile drivers (ADAC) said Europe's "ambitious traffic climate protection target" could not be achieved by electric vehicles alone.

The European Union Automobile Association (ACEA) also said the market was too volatile to accept a ban on new combustion cars before 2035.

Oliver Zipse, president of ACEA and chief executive of BMW, said: "given that global markets are experiencing volatility and uncertainty on a daily basis, it is still in the early stages of any long-term regulation for more than a decade. "