Electric vehicles
Most automakers fall short on climate goals: report
Only two of the world's 12 top automakers plan to make enough electric vehicles by 2030 to stay in step with Paris Agreement climate goals, experts said Wednesday (18 May).
EU lawmakers may push 70% emission cut on carmakers by 2030
The European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) is due to vote on mandatory CO2 standards for car manufacturers on Wednesday (11 May), with the possibility of calling for a 70% reduction target by the year 2030. EURACTIV France reports.
No green and digital transition without raw materials, EU warns
Europe's transition to a sustainable and digital society is only possible with a strategic approach to the raw materials needed to manufacture chips, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, the EU's internal market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Monday (25 April).
Fleets of hydrogen taxis are picking up across Europe
Europe's market for hydrogen-powered taxis is becoming increasingly competitive, with French company Hype, which has developed them in Paris since 2015, being among the frontrunners. EURACTIV France reports.
Autonomous vehicles will end road deaths in Europe, says Slovenian minister
The rollout of autonomous vehicles has the potential to reduce traffic by 90% and bring road deaths to zero, but serious technological hurdles remain, Mark Boris Andrijanic, Slovenia's minister for digital transformation, has said.
Responsible sourcing of raw materials vital as fossil fuel era ends
Robust regulation is needed at EU-level to ensure that workers and the environment are protected during the extraction of battery metals, write Mark Dummett and Julia Poliscanova.
Tesla Berlin gigafactory launch a ‘model’ for German investment projects
U.S. e-car company Tesla has inaugurated its first European production hub near Germany’s capital Berlin. The quick two and a half year construction process has been lauded as a model for Germany, Clean Energy Wire reports.
France should start mining lithium at home, minister says
France should start exploiting its own lithium resources to meet increased demand stemming from a shift away from fossil fuels, Barbara Pompili, the country's environment minister, said in a video interview published on Thursday (17 February) by business daily Les Echos.
Automotive industry sounds alarm over expansion of e-charging stations
Germany has fallen far behind its targets for expanding e-car infrastructure and will likely miss its 2030 e-mobility target, according to the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
Will there be enough metals to sustain the electric vehicle revolution?
Soaring demand for electric vehicles coupled with global battery supply chain issues caused production problems for carmakers last year. But the disruptions seen in 2021 are unlikely to become the new normal for three reasons, writes Julia Poliscanova of Transport & Environment.
Europe needs smart charging of all EVs now
As sales of electric vehicles continue to rise, smart charging needs to be the standard. In fact, without smart charging as the default, costs for the energy system will increase unnecessarily, burdening all consumers, write Julia Hildermeier and Jaap Burger.
Canfin: Battery Regulation to enter into force ‘six months’ early
In an interview with EURACTIV France , Pascal Canfin spoke about the EU Parliament's proposals to improve the battery regulation, and the actions to be taken to accelerate the transition towards full electric mobility in the EU.
Electric car transition puts over 70,000 jobs at risk in Italy, unions and lobby say
The transition to electric vehicles will put around 73,000 jobs at risk in Italy, metal workers' unions and a lobby group said on Thursday. (3 February), calling on the government to start discussions on measures to support the automotive industry.
Europe’s EV drive comes with environmental, social risks, Stellantis CEO says
The European Commission's strategy to phase out combustion engines in favour of electric vehicles is a political choice that carries environmental and social risks, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in an interview with European newspapers.
Higher charging infrastructure targets will prevent two-track Europe in EV shift
Rapid decarbonisation of road transport is needed to achieve Europe’s carbon neutrality by 2050. To ensure that no EU country is left behind in the transition to electric vehicles, ambitious charging infrastructure targets must be applied across the bloc, writes Mathieu Bonnet.
German transport minister backs electric cars in e-fuel debate
The debate over how best to decarbonise road transport has long pitched synthetic e-fuels against full electrification. In a policy shift, Germany’s transport minister has now said that electric cars have won the race in the EU.
‘Don’t Look Up’: The engine-makers’ answer to the climate crisis
Netflix’s new comedy film Don’t Look Up may be a heightened parody of the climate crisis, but scenes from the film recall the latest lobbying campaign to keep fossil fuel engines on our roads, argues Alex Keynes.
Auto parts makers accused of obstructing EU climate policies
European auto parts makers are undermining efforts to decarbonise the transport sector by lobbying against climate-friendly EU policies, a new analysis by the climate thinktank InfluenceMap has claimed.
Swiss slam brakes on subsidies for ‘con’ hybrid cars
A Swiss region has pulled subsidies for hybrid cars, citing a report which found they offered negligible emissions and fuel consumption advantages when tested on Alpine Switzerland's roads.
Tough EU car emission rules ‘necessary’, says leader of key German state
The European Union's proposed package of energy and climate laws received surprise backing from the leader of Baden-Württemberg, an influential German state which is renowned worldwide for its cutting-edge automotive industry.
Portuguese lithium, fuel of Europe’s electric vehicle revolution?
Portugal next year could approve lithium mining that will reduce Europe's dependence on outside sources for a key ingredient in the frenetic global race to decarbonise the auto industry.
EU decision makers can supercharge the shift to electric vehicles
Despite progress, barriers remain to electric vehicle (EV) uptake in eastern and southern Europe. But the right EU policies can speed up the electric mobility shift across the continent, benefiting consumers and the environment, argue Monique Goyens and Julia Poliscanova.
For many Europeans, the electric vehicle revolution is a mirage
The view from Brussels policymakers is clear: the electric vehicle revolution is firmly underway. But a EURACTIV investigation reveals serious barriers to electric vehicle acceptance across eastern and southern Europe.