• EC launches consultation on ‘integrated approach’ to 10g/km tailpipe emissions reduction
• Dutch agency calls on EU to reconsider 2020 10% renewable transport fuels obligation target
• CARB passes new ZEV mandate amendment

Following member states’ agreement earlier this month to finalise a new EU new car CO2 emissions regime during France's six-month EU presidency which begins in July, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on specific elements of the 'integrated approach' which is intended to deliver 10g/km of the 130g/km proposed new car CO2 regulation for 2012. Evidence and opinions are sought on the potential contributions of gear-shift indicators and the reduction of energy use by in-car air-conditioning systems.

The Commission requests that interested parties send their replies to the consultation by 13 May 2008. For full details, please follow the associated links. The consultation document can be downloaded from: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/environment/mac/consultation/index.htm

Stakeholders are invited to send their views on the mentioned issues and possibly other comments to the following mail box: , following the guidelines and mentioning "MAC & GSI Regulation" in the subject line, by 13th May 2008.

For further questions stakeholders are requested to email or the secretariat of the unit ENTR.F1 at the European Commission, Tel. +32 2 29 55962.

The Commission’s initial proposals for a 130 g/km fleet average emissions limit, for which it hoped to propose a legislative framework at the latest by mid 2008, hoped to “reach the objective of 130 g CO2/km for the average new car fleet by means of improvements in vehicle motor technology, and a further reduction of 10 g CO2/km, or equivalent if technically necessary, by other technological improvements and by an increased use of bio-fuels, specifically:

a) setting minimum efficiency requirements for air-conditioning systems …

…

d) the use of gear shift indicators, taking into account the extent to which such devices are used by consumers in real driving conditions.”

The envisaged legislation may be proposed as an amendment of existing EU legislation on mobile air conditioning or as separate new legislation. In the context of this legal initiative or at a later stage the Commission may also propose some modifications to the safety regulation on mobile air conditioning, details of which are given in the consultation document.

(LowCVP newsletter, 26 March, Automotive News Europe, 31 March)

The Dutch Government-funded environmental assessment agency MNP has called on the EU to reconsider the target to increase the share of biofuels in transport fuels by 10% by 2020. The agency has concluded that the potential for biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is quite low, and suggests that the Commission's biofuels policies may be hindering the development of alternatives to biofuels, including electric cars, hybrids and fuel cell cars.

The agency’s report says that the 20–30m hectares of EU land needed to produce enough crops to turn into the 35m tonnes of oil equivalent biofuels required to meet the 10% target “is not likely to become available within Europe”, even if the EU’s agricultural sector were fully liberalised. There is also no certainty that enough biofuels could be imported to meet any shortfall in domestic production.

According to the report, the European Commission’s sustainability criteria for biofuels — greenhouse gas emissions in the whole production chain at least 35% lower than from conventional fuels — are not likely to be met in the real world.

The MNP report concludes that 'global displacement effects' should feature more prominently in the EU's biofuels sustainability criteria. It also warns of inevitable rises in food prices driven by the increased demand for biofuels. The EU should include mechanisms in its biofuel promotion policies to pay for biodiversity protection and support food importing regions, it adds.

- This site reported earlier this month that Robert Watson, chief scientist at the UK Department for the Environment, had called on ministers to postpone the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), scheduled for tomorrow, April 1, review into the indirect effects of biofuels production commissioned from the Renewable Fuels Agency has been completed.

The State of California’s Air Resources Board has voted to triple the amount of zero emissions vehicles that staff had proposed for manufacturers to produce from 2012 to 2014. Staff had proposed to require 2,500 pure ZEVs, which the Board increased to 7,500. The previous ARB requirement, from 2003, had called for 25,000 such vehicles during the same period. Manufacturers can now produce fewer ZEVs (5,357) if they are long-range fuel cell vehicles or they can opt to satisfy the requirement by manufacturing 12,500 battery electric vehicles with a range of 100 miles.

The Board maintained a second component of the vehicle emissions reduction programme by requiring an additional 66,000 plug-in hybrids during the same 2012-2014 period. If they produce 25,000 ZEVs, there will be no remaining plug-in hybrid requirements.

ARB Chairman Mary Nichols also directed staff to overhaul the ZEV programme for 2015 vehicles to ‘synch up’ with other ARB tailpipe emission programmes such as the Pavley regulations addressing greenhouse gas emissions and the low emissions vehicle programme.

Created in 1990, the ZEV programme seeks to spur technological advancements in the automotive industry that lead to more clean cars on California’s roadways. It is the world’s only enforceable requirement for the development and production of ZEVs.

As a direct result of the programme, the ARB says over 750,000 Californians are currently driving vehicles with near-zero emissions and an extended emissions warranty of 15 years or 150,000 miles. They are 80% cleaner than the average 2002 model year car. Independent aftermarket representatives have complained that these extended emissions warranties cut aftermarket suppliers out of emissions-related repair work, holding it captive to the OEMs concerned.

(www.arb.ca.gov/)