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STORY: The EU is driving forward its switch to electric vehicles.

On Tuesday (February 14), the European parliament approved a law to effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.

It's part of the bloc's effort to fight climate change.

Frans Timmermans is European Commission vice president:

"The industrial revolution is happening whether we like it or not. We can choose to lead it, we can choose to do it in a way that is socially compatible with our values, or we can leave it to other parts of the world to lead it and then all we can do is follow and deindustrialize."

The rules mean carmakers must eliminate CO2 emissions from new cars sold by the middle of the next decade.

The law will also set a 55% cut in CO2 emissions for new cars sold from 2030, compared to 2021 levels.

That is much higher than the current target of around 37%.

EU countries agreed the deal with lawmakers last October.

Final approval by member states is expected in March.

Many carmakers in Europe have invested heavily in electrification.

Volkswagen says it will only produce electric cars in Europe from 2033.