In concession to Europe's powerful automobile lobby, an average 130g/km target for car CO2 emissions will be implemented by setting laxer limits for heavier vehicles, such as SUVs and luxury models (EurActiv 30/08/07).
According to a draft Regulation, presented by EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas on 19 December, all new vehicles registered in the EU after 2012 – whether produced domestically or imported – will have to respect a "limit value curve of permitted emissions of CO2", based on their weight.
This means that cars weighing more than two tonnes, such as the Porsche Cayenne or the Land Rover, would still be allowed to emit more than 150g/km, while emissions from lighter cars, such as Renault's Twingo, which weighs less than 900kg, would be capped at as little as 110g/km.
Nevertheless, the calculation method used in the Regulation ensures that manufacturers of larger cars will have to make proportionally bigger cuts than producers of smaller vehicles, according to the Commission.
- Flexibilities
The envisaged system would enable manufacturers to make up for the production of larger cars by producing smaller, less-polluting ones too: "Manufacturers will still be able to make cars with emissions above the limit value curve provided these are balanced by cars which are below the curve," states the document.
What's more, for those manufacturers specialising in larger or more powerful vehicles, such as Porsche, whose average CO2 emissions currently stand at 282g/km, the Commission proposal leaves the door open to a "pooling" system, whereby manufacturers can team up in order to share out the burden of meeting their goals.
This would mean, for example, that BMW, whose average fleet emissions in 2006 still stood at over 180g/km, would be allowed to strike a commercial deal to buy surplus CO2 "permits" from another manufacturer specialising mainly in small cars, such as France's Peugeot-Citroën, whose fleet emits just 142g/km.
Also, independent manufacturers, who sell fewer than 10,000 vehicles per year, like Jaguar, and who cannot or do not wish to join a pool, can instead apply to the Commission for an individual target.
Special purpose vehicles, such as those built to accommodate wheelchair access, are excluded from the scope of the legislation.
- CO2 penalties
Manufacturers who overstep their CO2 limits will be subject to financial penalties, the Commission announced.
The fines will be phased in over four years following the entry into force of the legislation, starting at just €20 per gram of carbon dioxide that each car emits over the target in 2012, and rising to €95 in 2015.
Any money raised from the scheme will go into EU funds.
- Impact on consumers?
According to a Commission impact assessment, the new rules would entail an average increase in car prices of €1,300, but this would be offset by average fuel savings of roughly €2,700 over the car's lifetime.
