Sales vehicle In Europe, 37% increased in January, as automakers promoted electric cars to comply with the stricter emissions regulations this year.

Electric vehicle deliveries have increased sharply in markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy in January, according to the European Car Manufacturers Association. Total sales in the area decreased by 2.1% due to the reduced demand for plug-in hybrid, gasoline and diesel models.

Europe’s automakers are preparing for yet another difficult year, as the European Union’s stricter targets for pollution are forcing them to sell more electric cars or risk fines. Having suffered from declining sales in China, they also face the threat of additional duties in the US under President Donald Trump.

Even with strong sales in January, the industry can receive some support from the Commission. France is pushing the EU to give more flexibility to automakers to comply with the emissions targets this year, Bloomberg said on Monday. A Renault executive said last week that he was “100% sure” that Brussels would relax the rules to protect local manufacturers.

Friedrich Mertz, who is about to become the next German Chancellor after his Sunday election victory, argued that the sales of new internal combustion motor vehicles should continue after the gradual abolition scheduled for 2035.

The automakers have been warning for months that they are in danger of paying fines of billions of euros because they have not achieved EU targets for emissions. The Commission has spoken with industry executives and will present an action plan on March 5th.