Volkswagen thinks EVs will naturally replace ICE cars.

The transition should be encouraged rather than forced.

VW sees gas cars following the path of horses.

A little over a fifth of all new cars sold in Europe so far this year are fully electric. According to data published by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), EVs accounted for 20.9 percent of new registrations in the first four months of 2026. Nevertheless, there’s still a long way to go before everyone is convinced to make the switch.

According to Volkswagen, discussions about whether sales of new combustion-engine cars should be banned miss the bigger point. Martin Sander, Member of the Executive Board for Sales, Marketing, and After Sales, told Auto Express that the focus should be on why EVs are simply better cars overall, rather than lamenting the continued existence of gas and diesel engines.