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October 2007

 
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<< September 07 | November 07 >>

News for 25th October 2007


ACEA: European Parliament’s CO2 targets are too stringent

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association ACEA welcomed the European Parliament’s recognition that the car industry needs sufficient lead-time to adjust to new legal requirements on C02 emissions. But the ACEA lamented that the Parliament’s report did not call for “a comprehensive, cost-effective approach” towards reducing CO2 emissions from cars, and that it “clings to car technology targets that are too stringent”.

“The European car industry urges the EU institutions to adopt a comprehensive, integrated approach based on a transparent and thorough impact assessment, following the principles of better regulation”, said Ivan Hodac, secretary general of the ACEA. With an integrated approach - combining new car technology with the increased use of biofuels, adjustments of infrastructure, a more economical driving style and CO2-related taxation - larger gains can be achieved for the environment, while safeguarding investments and employment levels in Europe.

“The manufacturers support the EU objective of 120 g/km and will play their part. They spend €20 billion annually on research & development, they have introduced over 50 CO2-cutting technologies in the past decade and many more are in the pipeline”, added Hodac. “Within an integrated approach, the large majority of carbon reductions will still come from car technology. The EU should now agree on realistic carbon reduction targets for the car industry.

“The upcoming CO2 legislation is not likely to be adopted before 2009. In the meantime, the car industry will continue to introduce further CO2-reducing solutions. But, as the European Parliament has recognised, specific legislative requirements need to be known long ahead to adjust manufacturing processes.”


MEPs back 125g/km EU car C02 emissions standard for 2015

The European Parliament, adopted yesterday by a large majority an Environment Committee report calling for legislation to cap average emissions from all new passenger cars at 125g CO2/km as of 2015.

MEPs agreed that "average emissions from all passenger cars placed on the EU market in 2015 do not exceed 125g CO2/km". (Taking account of the automobile industry's development and production cycles, MEPs decided to move away from an earlier proposal to introduce such a cap as of 1 January 2012).

At the same time, the EP backed plans to compel car makers to meet these targets by "technical means alone" - i.e. without relying on other CO2-saving measures, such as biofuels, special tyres, or improvements in air conditioning systems.

As of 2020, reads the report, such average emissions should not exceed 95g CO2/km. Long-term targets, urge MEPs, should be determined no later than 2016: these targets "will possibly require further emissions reductions to 70g CO2/km or less by 2025".

Recognizing, however, the difficulties that some specialist manufacturers may have in reducing average emissions across the limited range of cars they produce, the MEPs "stress the importance of allowing particular vehicles to exceed emission limits to avoid excessive disruptions to the car market. To that end, they also propose that each manufacturer have the right "to exclude 500 identified vehicles annually from inclusion in the data used to determine average emissions".

Finally, the report proposes the introduction - in 2011 - of a "Carbon Allowance Reductions System (CARS)", a market mechanism through which carmakers would have to pay penalties for exceeding the emissions limits. Such penalties, notes the text, "may be offset by redeemable credits awarded to newly registered passenger cars" (of the same manufacturer) whose emissions fall below the limit values.

On the other hand, low emission cars - such as hydrogen, fuel cell, and plug-in vehicles - should benefit from a credit system, "which should allow each vehicle of this type introduced between now and the first year of implementation to be counted under the CO2 monitoring procedure as equivalent to, for example, forty conventional vehicles".

Lastly, MEPs recommend the EU to introduce requirements for a minimum of 20% of the space devoted to car advertising to provide information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions.


MEPs back 125g/km car C02 emissions standard for 2015

The European Parliament, adopted yesterday by a large majority an Environment Committee report calling for legislation to cap average emissions from all new passenger cars at 125g CO2/km as of 2015.

MEPs agreed that "average emissions from all passenger cars placed on the EU market in 2015 do not exceed 125g CO2/km". (Taking account of the automobile industry's development and production cycles, MEPs decided to move away from an earlier proposal to introduce such a cap as of 1 January 2012). At the same time, the EP backed plans to compel car makers to meet these targets by "technical means alone" - i.e..

As of 2020, reads the report, such average emissions should not exceed 95g CO2/km. Long-term targets, urge MEPs, should be determined no later than 2016: these targets "will possibly require further emissions reductions to 70g CO2/km or less by 2025".

Recognizing, however, the difficulties that some specialist manufacturers may have in reducing average emissions across the limited range of cars they produce, the MEPs "stress the importance of allowing particular vehicles to exceed emission limits to avoid excessive disruptions to the car market. To that end, they also propose that each manufacturer have the right "to exclude 500 identified vehicles annually from inclusion in the data used to determine average emissions".

Finally, the report proposes the introduction - in 2011 - of a "Carbon Allowance Reductions System (CARS)", a market mechanism through which carmakers would have to pay penalties for exceeding the emissions limits. Such penalties, notes the text, "may be offset by redeemable credits awarded to newly registered passenger cars" (of the same manufacturer) whose emissions fall below the limit values.

On the other hand, low emission cars - such as hydrogen, fuel cell, and plug-in vehicles - should benefit from a credit system, "which should allow each vehicle of this type introduced between now and the first year of implementation to be counted under the CO2 monitoring procedure as equivalent to, for example, forty conventional vehicles".

Lastly, MEPs recommend - for the purposes of comparison - to introduce requirements for the display of information "relating to the fuel economy (l/100 km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) of new cars" on vehicles and in advertising (whether TV, radio, Internet or other), all marketing and promotional literature, as well as showrooms. "A minimum of 20%" of the space devoted to such advertising, the report proposes, should provide information on fuel economy and CO2 emissions.


 
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