Honda has announced plans to stop producing gasoline-only cars by 2022.
The carmaker said it will “electrify” all of its models sold in Europe within the next three years – which includes making many models hybrid.
Hybrid vehicles carry a traditional internal combustion engine as well as a battery pack.
The Japanese company has brought forward its original plan to move away from petrol-only and diesel-only vehicles by three years from its previously announced target of 2025.
Speaking from Amsterdam to Sky News’ Ian King Live, the company’s senior vice president for Europe, Tom Gardner, said the decision will considerably change the line-up of cars it offers.
He said: “Regulations are becoming clearer in Europe and we’re responding to that challenge.
“Honda is the world’s largest engine manufacturer, and from what we have announced today we are committing to ending all mainstream non-electrified petrol and diesel production for Europe by the end of 2022.”
Earlier this year, Sky News first revealed Honda’s decision to shutdown its Swindon factory, which employs 3,500 people.
The plant in southwest England, which produces well over 100,000 Civic cars, is the company’s only factory in the EU.
Responding to questions on why Honda chose to import vehicles into Europe rather than manufacture them here, Mr Gardner said the company already had an established supply chain for its electric power trains and batteries in other parts of the world that were better suited for making the hybrid cars.
He added: “Unfortunately we’ve had to make a tough decision and similar decisions are being made across the industry.
“We have to optimise our resources, our capabilities and our production systems to deliver these new vehicle.
“Electrification has a number of challenges for the power train, the battery supply and in all of those things that for us, are optimised in the Japan and Asia region.”
Separately, Honda also announced plans to work with Vattenfall, a European electricity producer, to offer its customers a flexible electricity tariff that will allow cars to be charged at the most cost-effective times during the day.