Electric cars will be more expensive and less available as a result of EU moves to water down targets, that’s according to the European consumer organisation, BEUC.
The European Commission has proposed to give manufacturers more time to meet electric car carbon dioxide (CO2) targets due this year.
After meeting with manufacturers and experts, European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced what she called proposals for a new “balance” for the industry.
“Instead of annual compliance, companies will get three years [to meet targets] – this is the principle of banking and borrowing.”
“The targets stay the same; they have to fulfil the targets”, she insisted, but the manufacturers will be able to average it out over a longer time period.
Under existing EU law, emissions from new passenger cars must drop from an average of 93.6 g of CO2 per km, down from 116g of CO2 per km last year.
“This is really the wrong signal to consumers”, said BEUC’s Director General, Agustín Reyna.
“This is like putting the car in reverse while it’s already at full speed on the motorway. Electric cars are rolling off the production lines in increasing numbers. This will simply disincentivise car makers from investing and providing new, more affordable models. Consumers’ choice will be reduced to only more expensive options on the market.”
But von der Leyen insisted it is a necessary move to support Europe’s car industry.
“There is a clear demand for more flexibility on CO2 targets. The key principle here is balance. On the one hand, we need predictability and fairness for first movers, those who did their homework successfully. That means that we have to stick to the agreed targets. On the other, we need to listen to the voices of the stakeholders that ask for more pragmatism in these difficult times, and for technology neutrality. Especially when it comes to the 2025 targets and related penalties in case of non-compliance.”
The number of electric cars has been increasing, but reaching the next set of targets was going to prove difficult, manufacturers had warned.
“European vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers invested hundreds of billions of euros and are committed to making zero-emission mobility a successful business model”, said the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
The EU needs a more “more pragmatic approach for decarbonisation”.
Europe-wide, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) made up 15 percent of all new cars registered in January. Another 35 percent were hybrid-electric vehicles, according to data from the ACEA.
In Ireland, around 28 percent of new cars sold in January were hybrid and another 15 percent were pure electric.