A draft law approved by the European Parliament will legislate for the CO2 emissions of new cars to be cut by 20 per cent by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2030 compared with 2020/21 figures. As part of the rulings, electric cars and so-called Zero Level Emission Vehicles (ZLEVs) that emit less than 50g/km will also be required to make up 20 per cent of new vehicle sales by 2025 and 35 per cent by 2030. Going against the majority of EU members, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria proposed a lower target.
It follows previous European Commission legislation for a 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2021, with targets based on the average fleet emissions of all the models a manufacturer sells. President of CLEPA, an association of part manufacturers, Roberto Vavassori told the Financial Times a 40 per cent cut would force the industry to focus solely on electric vehicle technology, risking jobs, innovation and competitiveness.
In contrast, the EU estimates its CO2 reduction targets would create 69,000 jobs in the region in electricity and other sectors, offsetting 12,000 potential losses in the automotive sector. EU Parliament spokeswoman Miriam Dalli commented: ”This legislation goes beyond reducing harmful emissions and protecting the environment. It looks at setting the right incentives for manufacturers; it encourages investment in the infrastructure”.
