European Commission revises strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cars
Carmakers have, according to the European Commission, failed to make the desired progress to achieve car emissions of 120 g of CO2/km by 2012. To put this in perspective, this corresponds to fuel consumption of 4.5 litres per 100 km for diesel cars and...
Carmakers have, according to the European Commission, failed to make the desired progress to achieve car emissions of 120 g of CO2/km by 2012. To put this in perspective, this corresponds to fuel consumption of 4.5 litres per 100 km for diesel cars and 5.0 litres/100 km for petrol cars.
Although this date is five years away, the Commission last year carried out a review of the strategy, in close consultation with key stakeholders, as part of the European Climate Change Programme. To give industry maximum predictability and lead-time to develop new technology, the Commission set out its intentions in a memo published on February 7.
The revised strategy is based on a comprehensive set of measures to influence both the supply and demand sides of the EU market for cars and vans. The overall effect of these is to promote affordable fuel efficiency improvements and reductions in CO2 emissions, as well as substantial fuel savings for car and van drivers.
Together with the recent proposal to update the fuel quality directive, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels by 10% between 2010 and 2020, the strategy represents the first concrete implementation of the Commission's recent Energy Efficiency Action Plan and of the January 10 Energy and Climate Change package.
The main measures of the revised strategy are:
• EU legislation to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars and vans will be proposed by the Commission by the end of this year or at the latest by mid-2008;
• average emissions from new cars sold in the EU-27 would have to reach the 120 g CO2/km target by 2012. Improvements in motor technology would have to reduce average emissions to no more than 130 g/km, while complementary measures would contribute a further emissions cut of up to 10 g/km, thus reducing overall emissions to 120 g/km.
These complementary measures include efficiency improvements for car components with the highest impact on fuel consumption, such as tyres and air-conditioning systems, and a gradual reduction in the carbon content of road fuels, notably through greater use of biofuels. Efficiency requirements will be introduced for these car components;
• for vans, the fleet average objectives would be 175 g by 2012 and 160 g by 2015, compared with 201g in 2002.
• support for research efforts aimed at further reducing emissions from new cars to an average of 95 g of CO2/km by 2020;
• measures to promote the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles, notably through an amendment to the car labelling directive to make it more effective and by encouraging member states that levy road tax to base it on cars' CO2 emissions. The Council will be encouraged to adopt the Commission's proposal on road taxes without further delay; and
• an EU code of good practice on car marketing and advertising to promote more sustainable consumption patterns. The Commission is inviting car manufacturers to develop this and sign up to it by mid-2007.
The emissions targets will only apply to new vehicles (cars and vans) when they are put on the market. Cars sold before the requirement takes effect will not be affected and will not have to be taken off the road.
Yet, according to newspaper reports it is the top-end carmakers who produce luxury and sports cars that will bear the brunt of this CO2 drive. Smaller cars, like the VW Polo (102 g), Peugeot 206 (113 g), Ford Fiesta (116 g), Renault Mégane (120 g), are already below the target or on target.
Although the legislation will be pushed through by next year, ultimately it is up to the public to respond and by these environment-friendly cars. Two examples of highly fuel-efficient cars with excellent green credentials that were given the thumbs down by customers across Europe include earlier versions of the Volkswagen Lupo and the Opel Corsa Eco (not the current model, in both cases).
The Lupo, launched in 1999, was made of lightweight materials and had a start-stop mechanism that switched the engine off at junctions. The Corsa Eco came to the market in 2003 with CO2 emissions of 118 g/km but car buyers went for other models.
Ultra-low emission cars are associated with poor performance and both the Corsa Eco and the Lupo were soon withdrawn - in the case of the Lupo in 2005 after just 5,700 units were sold.
The bottom line is the we Europeans need to be convinced that we need to pay more for cleaner cars - like the resistance to the stop-start mechanism which is so useful in traffic and eliminates useless engine idling (and pollution).
Hybrid cars, too, have been slow to take off in both Europe and the United States, where the Toyota Prius leads the field. I believe it's time to put our money where our mouth is and support these eco-friendly cars. But I also believe that governments also have to play a part in attempting to make these cars - as we do with electric cars here - more attractive to customers.
Although this date is five years away, the Commission last year carried out a review of the strategy, in close consultation with key stakeholders, as part of the European Climate Change Programme. To give industry maximum predictability and lead-time to develop new technology, the Commission set out its intentions in a memo published on February 7.
The revised strategy is based on a comprehensive set of measures to influence both the supply and demand sides of the EU market for cars and vans. The overall effect of these is to promote affordable fuel efficiency improvements and reductions in CO2 emissions, as well as substantial fuel savings for car and van drivers.
Together with the recent proposal to update the fuel quality directive, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels by 10% between 2010 and 2020, the strategy represents the first concrete implementation of the Commission's recent Energy Efficiency Action Plan and of the January 10 Energy and Climate Change package.
The main measures of the revised strategy are:
• EU legislation to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars and vans will be proposed by the Commission by the end of this year or at the latest by mid-2008;
• average emissions from new cars sold in the EU-27 would have to reach the 120 g CO2/km target by 2012. Improvements in motor technology would have to reduce average emissions to no more than 130 g/km, while complementary measures would contribute a further emissions cut of up to 10 g/km, thus reducing overall emissions to 120 g/km.
These complementary measures include efficiency improvements for car components with the highest impact on fuel consumption, such as tyres and air-conditioning systems, and a gradual reduction in the carbon content of road fuels, notably through greater use of biofuels. Efficiency requirements will be introduced for these car components;
• for vans, the fleet average objectives would be 175 g by 2012 and 160 g by 2015, compared with 201g in 2002.
• support for research efforts aimed at further reducing emissions from new cars to an average of 95 g of CO2/km by 2020;
• measures to promote the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles, notably through an amendment to the car labelling directive to make it more effective and by encouraging member states that levy road tax to base it on cars' CO2 emissions. The Council will be encouraged to adopt the Commission's proposal on road taxes without further delay; and
• an EU code of good practice on car marketing and advertising to promote more sustainable consumption patterns. The Commission is inviting car manufacturers to develop this and sign up to it by mid-2007.
The emissions targets will only apply to new vehicles (cars and vans) when they are put on the market. Cars sold before the requirement takes effect will not be affected and will not have to be taken off the road.
Yet, according to newspaper reports it is the top-end carmakers who produce luxury and sports cars that will bear the brunt of this CO2 drive. Smaller cars, like the VW Polo (102 g), Peugeot 206 (113 g), Ford Fiesta (116 g), Renault Mégane (120 g), are already below the target or on target.
Although the legislation will be pushed through by next year, ultimately it is up to the public to respond and by these environment-friendly cars. Two examples of highly fuel-efficient cars with excellent green credentials that were given the thumbs down by customers across Europe include earlier versions of the Volkswagen Lupo and the Opel Corsa Eco (not the current model, in both cases).
The Lupo, launched in 1999, was made of lightweight materials and had a start-stop mechanism that switched the engine off at junctions. The Corsa Eco came to the market in 2003 with CO2 emissions of 118 g/km but car buyers went for other models.
Ultra-low emission cars are associated with poor performance and both the Corsa Eco and the Lupo were soon withdrawn - in the case of the Lupo in 2005 after just 5,700 units were sold.
The bottom line is the we Europeans need to be convinced that we need to pay more for cleaner cars - like the resistance to the stop-start mechanism which is so useful in traffic and eliminates useless engine idling (and pollution).
Hybrid cars, too, have been slow to take off in both Europe and the United States, where the Toyota Prius leads the field. I believe it's time to put our money where our mouth is and support these eco-friendly cars. But I also believe that governments also have to play a part in attempting to make these cars - as we do with electric cars here - more attractive to customers.