The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has called for a revision of the European Union’s emissions targets for combustion engine-powered cars as the sales of battery-electric vehicles in the region has continued to drop as of last month, the association stated.
The ACEA said that the transition to zero emissions “is highly challenging, with concerns about meeting the 2025 CO2 emission reduction targets for cars and vans on the rise,” and that the current rules do not account for the shift in geopolitical and economic climate over the past few years and “the law’s inherent inability to adjust for real-world developments” further erodes the sector’s competitiveness.
This could result in “multi-billion euro fines” for manufacturers which are members of the association, which is an expenditure that could otherwise be spent on the transition to zero emissions, or result in unnecessary production cuts, job losses, and a weakened European supply and value chain when the region is facing fierce competition from other automaking regions, the association said.
It added that the industry “cannot afford to wait” for CO2 emissions regulations in the region to be reviewed in 2026 and 2027, as “urgent and meaningful action” is required to reverse the downward trend for vehicles, as well as to restore the EU’s industry competitiveness and reduce the region’s vulnerabilities.
Urgency of the review was also stated for the heavy-duty vehicle sector, in order for vital aspects such infrastructure to be scaled up in time, it added.
To that end, the ACEA said it ‘stands ready’ to discuss a short-term relief package for 2025 targets for emissions reduction for cars and vans, as well as a “fast-track, comprehensive, and robust review of the CO2 Regulations for both cars and trucks,” plus targeted secondary legislation.
New car registrations in the European Union dropped by 18.3% in August 2024 and registrations of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) dropped by 43.9% to 92,627 units, down from 165,204 units in the same period last year according to the ACEA. Meanwhile, market share held by BEVs in the region dropped 21% compared to the same month in the previous year.
The first eight months of 2024 saw 902,011 registrations of BEVs in the EU, representing 12.6% of the market, said the ACEA. The drop in sales volume was driven by the two largest markets for BEVs in the region, which are Germany (down 68.8%), and France (down 33.1%).
Plug-in hybrids saw a drop of 22.3% last month, and accounted for 7.1% of the EU car market, down from 7.4% last year with 45,590 units sold.
Hybrid electric vehicles were the only type that saw growth in the region, gaining 6.6% in registrations to 201,552 units in August 2024. Petrol-powered cars saw a 17.1% drop, while diesel-powered cars saw a 26.4% drop in the period in the EU.
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