France Plans to End Sales of Gas and Diesel Cars by 2040
But Mr. Archer added that France’s move “is absolutely the right direction to be taking.”
Such an expression of government resolve can prompt companies to devote more resources to developing electric vehicles,
and encourage investors to put money into clean transportation start-ups.
On Wednesday, Volvo said that all of its new models beginning in 2019 would be either battery-powered cars or hybrids
that combined electric motors with diesel or gasoline engines.
That is too long to meet France’s own climate change goals, said Greg Archer, director
of clean vehicles at Transport & Environment, an advocacy group in Brussels.
Still, coming from a major car-producing country, France’s declaration gave additional momentum to efforts to fight climate change
and urban smog by promoting the use of electric cars.
“But the solutions are there.”
The plan to phase out gasoline and diesel cars is part of a broader effort by France to limit global warming, which Mr. Hulot outlined Thursday.
Mr. Archer said, though, that it was essential for France to follow up with incentives and regulations that encouraged the use of electric cars.