Netherlands joins Norway in plans to end new gas, diesel car sales by 2025

While many countries promote electric cars, only Norway has taken the step of putting into place a plan to phase out cars powered by gasoline or diesel fuel entirely.

Now, however, a similar proposal is under consideration in another European country.

The Dutch parliament recently passed a motion that would end sales of new cars powered solely by gasoline or diesel after 2025.

DON'T MISS: Norway's Goal: All New Cars Will Be Emission-Free By 2025 To Cut Carbon (Aug 2015)

Sales of hybrid cars would still be allowed after 2025 under the proposed rules, and internal-combustion cars sold before 2025 would be grandfathered for operation until the ends of their lives.

Initiated by the Dutch Labor Party, the motion still has to make it through the senate to become law, and already faces some opposition.

Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp believes the proposed phase out of internal-combustion cars could violate European Union law.

Cars that meet current EU emissions standards must, by default, be legal in all member nations, he reasoned.

So the question is whether a member state can unilaterally ban cars that are legal in other states.

Kamp has also said he doubts that electric-car market share will grow beyond the current level of about 15 percent in time for a smooth transition.