Articles tagged with "EU-regulations"
Plug-In Hybrids Pollute Almost As Much As Petrol Cars — EU Data - CleanTechnica
A recent analysis of European Environment Agency data on 127,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) registered in 2023 reveals that PHEVs pollute nearly as much as conventional petrol and diesel cars, emitting only about 19% less CO2 per kilometer on average (135g vs. 166g). Even when operating in electric mode, PHEVs consume fuel and emit 68g of CO2/km—8.5 times higher than official test claims—because their electric motors often lack sufficient power for higher speeds or inclines, causing the combustion engine to engage for roughly one-third of the distance driven in electric mode. This hidden fuel consumption results in an average additional cost of €500 per year for PHEV drivers. The study also highlights that PHEVs are more expensive to purchase than battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with average prices in Germany, France, and the UK projected at €55,700 in 2025—€15,200
energyplug-in-hybridscarbon-emissionselectric-vehiclesfuel-consumptionEU-regulationsautomotive-industryLeaked Car Industry Paper: Carmakers’ EU Demands Would Cut EV Sales In Half - CleanTechnica
A leaked position paper from the European car industry lobby ACEA reveals that carmakers are pushing for numerous loopholes in the EU’s car CO2 regulations, which aim to mandate only zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by 2035. According to analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E), these demands would significantly weaken the EU’s climate ambitions, potentially halving the share of electric vehicle (EV) sales. Key loopholes include counting cars running on so-called carbon-neutral fuels (such as biofuels or e-fuels) as zero-emission, which alone could reduce EV sales by 25%. Additional demands include scrapping the 2027 utility factor adjustment for plug-in hybrids, granting CO2 credits for scrapping old cars, and credits for CO2 reductions in car production, cumulatively lowering the EV market share target to just 52% by 2035. T&E’s Lucien Mathieu criticized the ACEA’s position as undermining investment certainty and Europe’s competitiveness
energyelectric-vehiclesEU-regulationscarbon-emissionsautomotive-industryclimate-policyclean-technologyBend or Break Time for Europe’s 2035 Car CO2 Rules - CleanTechnica
The article discusses the ongoing debate and pressure surrounding the European Union’s 2035 car CO2 emissions standards, a critical component of the European Green Deal aimed at decarbonizing the automotive sector. While European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has publicly reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to climate goals and an electric future, there are simultaneous signals of potential weakening of these standards due to intense lobbying by car manufacturers. The Commission appears to be adopting a "bend, don’t break" approach—making concessions to industry demands to avoid losing the regulations entirely. However, this strategy risks creating loopholes that could undermine the effectiveness and investment certainty of the CO2 rules. Key flexibilities being pushed by carmakers include supercredits or multipliers for small electric vehicles (EVs), which could reduce the required share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by up to 15%, and allowances for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) powered by so-called carbon neutral fuels (CNFs), which may constitute
energyelectric-vehiclesEU-regulationscar-CO2-standardsgreen-dealclean-energyautomotive-industryEU Gives Electric Truck Charging Network The Green Light - CleanTechnica
The European Clean Transportation Corridor plan, recently approved by the European Commission and nine EU member states, aims to develop a comprehensive electric truck charging network along key logistics routes across Europe. The plan features two main corridors: the North Sea–Baltic route, connecting Rotterdam through Germany and Poland to Ukraine and the Baltic States, and the Scandinavian–Mediterranean corridor, linking northern Scandinavia through Germany and Austria to southern Italy. This initiative focuses not only on installing charging stations but also on streamlining permitting, mobilizing finance, and expanding the electricity grid to support zero-emission freight transport. The plan aligns with the EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which mandates national targets for deploying alternative fuels infrastructure, including fast-charging hubs for heavy-duty vehicles with a minimum power of 350 kW every 60 to 100 kilometers on major routes. AFIR also emphasizes user-friendly charging infrastructure, requiring transparent pricing, multiple payment options, and secure parking in urban areas. However, significant challenges
energyelectric-truckscharging-infrastructureclean-transportationEU-regulationsalternative-fuelszero-emission-freightNearly All Truckmakers on Track to Meet 2025 EU CO2 Target — ICCT Finds - CleanTechnica
A recent analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) reveals that five out of seven major European truck manufacturers are on track to meet the EU’s 2025 CO2 emissions reduction target of 15% below 2019 levels. This progress marks a significant shift after decades of stagnation in heavy-duty vehicle emissions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the EU’s CO2 standards. While trucks are becoming more fuel-efficient and the market for electric trucks is expanding—with at least 45 battery-electric and hydrogen models available across various applications—most manufacturers have primarily relied on improving internal combustion engine (ICE) truck efficiency rather than accelerating zero-emission vehicle adoption. The ICCT report highlights that despite some growth in electric truck sales, the uptake remains slower than expected, with only about 1.7% of new truck registrations being zero-emission in 2024, far below the anticipated 6%. Leading manufacturers like Volvo and Renault attribute only a third of their CO2 reductions to zero-emission
energyelectric-trucksCO2-emissionsEU-regulationszero-emission-vehiclesheavy-duty-vehiclestruck-electrificationPlug-in Hybrids Now Emit 5 Times, on Average, What Official Tests Claim — EU Data - CleanTechnica
A recent analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E) using data from the European Environment Agency reveals that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) emit, on average, nearly five times more CO2 in real-world driving than official EU test figures indicate. While official tests report average emissions of 28g CO2 per km, real-world data from fuel monitors on 127,000 PHEVs registered in 2023 show emissions averaging 139g CO2 per km. This discrepancy persists despite carmakers’ claims that PHEV technology has become cleaner. The EU currently applies “utility factors” to adjust official CO2 ratings to better reflect real-world emissions, with stricter factors planned for 2025 and 2027 to encourage a shift from PHEVs to fully battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The car industry lobby is pushing the EU to abandon these tightening rules, aiming to continue selling PHEVs beyond the 2035 zero-emission vehicle deadline. However, environmental
energyplug-in-hybridsCO2-emissionselectric-vehiclesEU-regulationsclimate-targetsautomotive-technologyJoint Letter on an Ambitious Action to Decarbonise Corporate Fleets - CleanTechnica
The article highlights a joint call from businesses, cities, and civil society organizations urging the European Commission to implement swift and ambitious legislation aimed at decarbonising corporate vehicle fleets. The key demands include accelerating the electrification of corporate cars to achieve at least a 90% electrification rate of new corporate car registrations across the EU by 2030. Additionally, the letter calls for binding zero-emission shipment targets for large cargo owners by the same year, emphasizing the importance of leveraging corporate purchasing power to drive demand for zero-emission freight solutions. These measures are presented as essential steps toward meeting the EU’s climate goals while promoting a competitive and sustainable European economy. The article underscores the broad support for these regulatory actions as a critical component in the transition to cleaner transportation within the corporate sector.
energydecarbonizationelectric-vehiclescorporate-fleetszero-emissionsustainable-transportationEU-regulationsGlobal Coalition Calls for No Further Weakening of EU Batteries Due Diligence Rules - CleanTechnica
A global coalition of over 30 civil society groups, labor organizations, investors, and businesses has urged the European Parliament to maintain strong due diligence requirements in the EU Batteries Regulation. They warn that any weakening of these rules would undermine responsible and resilient battery supply chains, threaten the competitive advantage of European companies, and hinder efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The coalition emphasizes that as the world transitions to renewable energy and electric vehicles, robust due diligence in battery sourcing is essential for sustainability. The coalition’s letter to the European Parliament’s environment committee calls on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to uphold the current due diligence provisions as proposed by the European Commission and to reject any amendments that would dilute these requirements. They argue that weakening the rules now would place businesses already preparing to comply at an economic disadvantage. The article highlights the critical role of the EU Batteries Regulation in ensuring sustainable supply chains for batteries, which are central to the clean energy transition.
energybatterieselectric-vehiclesEU-regulationsrenewable-energysupply-chainsustainabilityLeasing: New Automotive Giants Lack A Credible Climate Strategy - CleanTechnica
A recent analysis by Reclaim Finance and Transport & Environment (T&E) reveals that Europe’s automotive leasing companies, despite their growing influence in the sector, have largely failed to adopt credible climate strategies. Leasing now accounts for over half of new car registrations in Europe and is projected to reach 70% by 2030, positioning leasing firms as key players in the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). These companies, often subsidiaries of carmakers or banking groups, influence EV adoption through pricing, customer guidance, and managing the resale market, which is critical since most Europeans buy used cars. However, the study found that 12 out of 20 major leasing companies provide no public climate-related information about their leasing activities, and none of the eight that do disclose data offer detailed fleet breakdowns to assess decarbonisation progress. Climate targets are generally weak, fragmented, and in some cases recently weakened or suspended, with no company committing to cease financing new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles even beyond
energyelectric-vehiclesdecarbonizationclimate-strategyautomotive-leasingEU-regulationsfossil-fuel-phase-outEU Rules Out Production Aid In Blow To Battery & Cleantech Industry - CleanTechnica
The European Commission’s newly published state-aid rules, known as CISAF, have been criticized as a setback for the EU cleantech and battery industry. The rules maintain a ban on production aid—subsidies tied directly to units produced—despite the US successfully using such aid to build a competitive battery sector. While CISAF allows governments to take equity stakes in cleantech companies, eases aid for projects approved by the EU Innovation Fund, and conditions foreign automotive investment aid on intellectual property and skills transfer, these measures are viewed as insufficient to address the EU’s lack of competitiveness in cleantech manufacturing. Critics, including green group Transport & Environment (T&E), argue that the EU missed an opportunity to implement simple, predictable, and bankable production aid similar to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was promised by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. T&E highlights that although €1.8 billion remains earmarked for batteries under the Innovation Fund, and there
energycleantechbattery-industryEU-regulationshydrogenstate-aidInnovation-FundEU Ignores EV Sales Data, Waters Down Requirements
electric-vehiclesEU-regulationsCO2-reductionEV-marketautomotive-industryclean-energyemissions-targetsEU Battery Due Diligence Rules: Are Carmakers Ready?
energybatteriessustainabilityelectric-vehiclessupply-chainEU-regulationsclimate-changeHow to Defuse the EU’s Carbon Tax Time Bomb
energycarbon-pricingclean-energyEU-regulationssustainabilityenvironmental-policyenergy-costs