16 May 22
News

EU lawmakers reject ambitious emission targets for carmakers

EU lawmakers reject ambitious emission targets for carmakers

EU lawmakers have backed a 2035 deadline for zero-emissions cars but narrowly voted down plans for ambitious emissions targets for carmakers, writes Transport & Environment.

These proposed emissions targets are said to be essential to driving down the costs of electric vehicles earlier. T&E called on the European Parliament’s to support a 2027 interim target and a more ambitious 2030 standard to make EVs accessible to more Europeans in this decade.

However, the European Parliament’s environment committee voted to require carmakers to cut average fleet emissions by 20% in 2025 (compared to 2021), by 55% in 2030, and by 100% in 2035.

Conservatives and even some progressive MEPs rejected a new interim target in 2027 and a higher 2030 goal, which would require manufacturers to ramp up sales of electric cars.

Alex Keynes, clean vehicles manager at T&E, said: “The EU clean car rules are driving down the costs of the electric vehicles that we need to decarbonise cars and meet our climate targets. But the EV boom will falter for the next 10 years unless lawmakers step in with an interim target in 2027 and a more ambitious goal in 2030. Without it, Europe may not sell enough zero-emissions cars to meet its own 2030 goals as well as those of many EU countries.”

T&E is also against synthetic fuels in cars, describing them as “the oil industry’s latest fake green solution”.

Keynes explained: “Battery electric vehicles offer drivers the cleanest, most efficient and affordable way to decarbonise, while synthetic fuels in cars would provide a new lease of life for old polluting engines. The parliament needs to keep the door closed to what would be a costly, inefficient diversion from the EU’s race to net zero.”

Image: Shutterstock

Authored by: Alison Pittaway