Truckmakers seek to avert car-style CO2 caps

As MEPs prepare to vote on a legislative proposal imposing caps on the CO2 emissions of new cars, the automotive industry is warning against introducing similar measures for vans and minibuses, which the Commission is planning to propose by the end of the year.

“We need governments as allies, not opponents of the commercial vehicle industry,” said Andreas Renschler, chairman of the commercial vehicles board at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), speaking at an international motor show for commercial vehicles in Hanover on 23 September. 

The Commission announced it would be presenting legislation on reducing the CO2 emissions of new vans and minibuses as part of a new package on ‘greening transport‘ presented in July. 

But manufacturers are keen to show Brussels that legislation would be unnecessary by setting themselves an own-initiative target of reducing their fuel consumption (which is in direct relation to CO2 emissions levels) by 20% by 2020. “Our message is that the world can’t go without trucks, vans and buses, but that we can go without emissions,” said Renschler. 

But he went on to stress that the new Commission initiative on vans contradicts a Brussels pledge to discuss future regulations with the industry “in a fair and cooperative manner” and that it would likely be “counter-productive”.

Yet it is the automotive sector’s very failure to live up to previous voluntary commitments on emissions from private passenger cars that led the Commission, in a February 2007 strategy paper, to propose binding legislation on CO2 emissions from transport in the first place. 

What’s more, the Commission is likely to insist that implementation proceeds much more quickly than the timescale proposed by the commercial vehicle industry. Indeed, draft legislation on cars, presented in December 2007, asks auto manufacturers to deliver CO2 cuts of roughly 20% (from current levels of 160 grammes of C02/km to 130gr/km) by 2012. 

For vans, the February 2007 strategy paper already sets “the objective of reaching 175 g/km CO2 by 2012 and 160 g/km CO2 by 2015”. With current CO2 emissions for vans standing at around 200gr/km, this would represent a 20% cut by as early as 2015. 

Nevertheless, the EU executive’s plans for cars already look as though they could be watered down, with a key vote in the European Parliament Environment Committee set to take place today (25 September). 

Indeed, according to green NGOs, the committee is ready to “cede to heavy industry pressure” and insert “numerous loopholes” in the future law. The main changes that could be integrated include a phase-in between 2012 and 2015, rebates for alternative fuel vehicles and additional allowances for using ‘eco-innovations’. 

But in any case, even a voluntary fuel efficiency target by 2020 would constitute a step forward for the heavy trucking industry, which is currently exempted from any CO2 legislation at European level. 

No industry-wide cap appears to be on the agenda. CO2 is even excluded from the scope of a recent Commission proposal to review the so-called Eurovignette Directive to enable national authorities to charge heavy road vehicles for the congestion and air pollution costs they impose on society (EURACTIV 07/07/08). 

Read more with Euractiv

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