Following a strategic dialogue with the automotive industry, the European Commission has unveiled its Action Plan. There is no question of delaying the 2035 deadline, and the proposed measures clearly prioritise battery technology over other solutions.

A total of €1.8 billion will be invested in the European battery industry, allocated as follows: €350 million for the Battery4EU consortium (focused on next-generation batteries), €1 billion from Horizon Europe for electric and connected vehicles, and €570 million for charging infrastructure.

The Commission has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the European battery sector and ensuring a strong domestic production base through funding from the Innovation Fund. “We will promote national production to avoid strategic dependencies, particularly in battery manufacturing,” stated Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Hydrogen is conspicuously absent from the plan. The €570 million allocated under AFIR will be dedicated exclusively to deploying charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles, all of which will cater to battery-electric trucks.

Additionally, Europe aims to improve communication on corporate fleet decarbonisation—given that corporate vehicles account for 60% of new registrations—encouraging Member States to implement further measures to promote greener company fleets. At the same time, the Commission is exploring ways to stimulate demand for European zero-emission vehicles.

There is also no mention of synthetic fuels.

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