MILAN (Reuters), – The head of Italy’s automotive lobby stated Tuesday that electric vehicles were not the only way to reduce carbon emissions from the automobile industry.

Paolo Scudieri (chairman of ANFIA), said that other technologies are possible to help decarbonize the sector and meet the same emissions targets while preserving the know-how in Italy.

Scudieri opened ANFIA’s public assembly by referring to “the tangible contribution that biofuels, synthetic fuels as well hydrogen can provide.” He added that it was already investing heavily in hydrogen.

Biofuels are synthetic and biofuels. They allow for modified combustion engines, rather than switching to battery electric cars (BEV) in bulk.

Scudieri claimed that solely focusing on BEV technology (currently dominated by Asian manufacturers) would place 73,000 jobs in Italy at risk. These jobs would be uncompensated by the approximately 6,000 additional jobs expected to come from electric mobility.

The addition of around 450 Italian car parts manufacturers, which is a total 2,200 in Italy, could mean that they are out of business. They haven’t yet begun to move production toward electric technology.

For the sector, the European Commission proposed that CO2 emissions be cut by 100% by 2035. As part of an overall package of climate policies, the target would prevent new vehicles powered by fossil fuels from being sold in 27 member countries.

Next week the European parliament will be having a discussion on climate policy.

Scudieri stated that there wasn’t a dominant position between different groups of political parties within the European Parliament.

He stated that “every vote counts and I wish our MEPs would vote with the country’s best interests in mind.”