European Commission announces plans to cut CO2 emissions from vans
Wed 28 October 2009
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The European Commission has announced plans for the introduction of fuel efficiency standards for vans. Under the proposals, the average new van sold in Europe in 2016 should emit 175g CO2/km, representing a 14% reduction in van emissions over the nine years from 2007. Vehicle makers who fail to hit the target will be liable to pay fines.
The proposals are part of the 'integrated approach' which was agreed during the negotiations leading up to the confirmation of regulations on new car emissions.
The deadline for achieving 175g CO2/km is four years later than was envisaged in an earlier draft of the proposals and follows lobbying from France, Italy and Germany who had been calling for a delay to 2017. The Commission has also postponed plans to include minibuses.
In an early response to the proposals, Kerstin Meyer of Transport & Environment in Brussels said: "Europe is facing a climate and energy crisis that will have serious repercussions for decades to come. We need to start cutting carbon now, not in 2016. The EU is once again weakening vehicle fuel efficiency standards, one of the most important tools for tackling carbon emissions and oil use."
T&E comments that the proposals indicate a long-term target of 135 g/km by 2020. But, T&E says, the language on the target indicates it is not fixed and could still be reviewed.
In its response, the European auto manufacturers association, ACEA called for the industry to be given longer to meet low carbon targets. Its Secretary General Ivan Hodac said: “EU policy makers should ensure sufficient industrial lead-time which is, at the moment, not foreseen.”
ACEA's press release went on to say: "lead-time is essential to sustain investments and adapt vehicles at a reasonable time in their product cycle, keeping them affordable. Light commercial vehicles have a substantially longer development phase as well as product cycle than passenger cars."
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