EU to Gift Weaker Climate Targets to Car Industry in Return for No Commitments

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Final Up to date on: 4th March 2025, 12:04 am

T&E response to Ursula von der Leyen assertion on Automotive Dialogue.

The EU Fee will weaken the 2025 CO₂ goal for carmakers by permitting them to conform over three years as an alternative of 1, President Ursula von der Leyen said today. The measure, which nonetheless must be handed by EU governments and MEPs, is an unprecedented present to Europe’s automobile trade in the midst of a compliance yr.

The Fee mentioned it will suggest to stretch the compliance window for the 2025 goal up till 2027. If applied, this flexibility would permit carmakers to promote much less clear vehicles in 2025 in change for promoting extra clear fashions in 2026–27. This is able to delay the size up of EV manufacturing in Europe and take away stress on the trade to roll out cheaper EV fashions in 2025.

William Todts, govt director of T&E and participant within the EU Automotive Dialogue, mentioned: “Weakening the EU clean car rules rewards laggards and does little for Europe’s car industry except to leave it further behind China on electric vehicles. The EU risks creating very damaging uncertainty about the electric vehicle transition in Europe. So, we expect an automotive action plan that restores confidence and puts Europe and its industry back on track towards 100% emission free cars in 2035.”

The present 2025 CO₂ goal is properly throughout the attain of European carmakers which have till the tip of the yr to conform. By altering the compliance window to 3 years, automobile producers will likely be underneath much less stress to produce extra reasonably priced fashions such because the Renault R5 and Citroën eC3, each of which have been timed to assist meet the 2025 goal.

First printed on T&E.