All new cars in the EU will be zero-emission by 2035. Here's where the U.S. stands

Electric cars charge at a hub in downtown Milan on March 23. Starting in 2035, all cars sold in the European Union will be zero-emission vehicles. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images)

European Union member states gave final approval Tuesday to a plan that would require all new cars sold in the EU to be zero-emission vehicles starting in the year 2035.

It's part of the EU's plan to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and more ambitious than similar efforts in the U.S. A quarter of the bloc's emissions come from the transportation sector, and 70% of that is road traffic.