Merz Criticizes Plan to Force Car-Rental Firms to Buy EVs

Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz — Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg

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By Arne Delfs

July 21, 2025 at 6:24 PM UTC

Updated on

July 21, 2025 at 7:59 PM UTC

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized plans that newspaper Bild said the European Union is working on that would prohibit car-rental firms and large corporations from buying non-electric vehicles for their fleets from 2030.

Under the deliberations, companies like Sixt SE and Europcar Mobility Group SA would only be allowed to purchase electric vehicles from that date, Bild reported on Sunday, citing EU sources it didn’t identify.