Transport Archives

The newly-established €100 million fund will help innovative European companies bring “radically new” clean energy technologies to the market, including the “holy grail” of batteries, the European Commission said.

There is now a clear EU majority, led by the Nordic countries, for tougher targets on car emissions, writes Sanjeev Kumar. The big questions now relates to charging points for electric vehicles and whether they can charge fast enough, he writes.

Renewable methane – whether produced from waste, manure or synthetic sources – could displace at most 7% of natural gas in Europe at the current demand rate, according to a new study by the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT).

Setting European Union targets for reducing cars' greenhouse gas output that are too ambitious could backfire with the loss of 100,000 jobs, Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess said Thursday.

Transport accounts for nearly a quarter of the EU’s emissions and, unlike other sectors, greenhouse gases continue to rise. Trucks only make up a small part of vehicles on the roads in Europe: less than 5% of total traffic.

MEPs sitting in the European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee voted down an important clause in a draft opinion on Tuesday (10 October), backing the notion that data capture during the operation of autonomous vehicles should be subject to copyright rules.

As the need for climate action gets more urgent, new labels give motorists a clearer picture of fuels’ and cars’ eco-friendliness, writes Emmanuel Desplechin.

EU lawmakers are floating the idea of offering incentives for extra-long trucks made up of multiple trailers in the EU’s first truck CO2 legislation.

European Parliament transport committee chair Karima Delli has warned about the “disastrous” consequences of a hard Brexit, especially on the transport sector. EURACTIV France’s partner La Tribune reports.

EU environment ministers took until nearly midnight on Tuesday (9 October) to agree on a common position for car and van CO2 emission cuts for 2030 but several member states were left "disappointed" with the final agreement.

European Union environment ministers will seek a compromise on Tuesday (9 October) over how tough to be on curbing carbon dioxide emissions from cars and vans, with Germany warning too tough targets could harm industry and cost jobs.

MEPs voted in Strasbourg on Wednesday (3 October) in favour of a 40% CO2 reduction target for light vehicles by 2030. The target is higher than what the Commission has proposed and tough talks with national capitals now loom large on the horizon.

The automotive industry is moving ever closer in the mass development of connected cars, yet a number of challenges still exist for policymakers if the EU is to foster the development of the technology alongside fulfiling its long-term goal of zero fatalities by 2050 as part of its ambitious "Vision Zero" programme.

Denmark announced on Tuesday (2 October) that it will ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2030 and hopes to have 1 million electric and hybrid cars on the roads by then.

Europe's gas industry wants renewable fuels completely accounted for in updated car CO2 rules. But the MEP charged with helming the legislation's revision hopes to shield her report from industry attacks ahead of a crucial vote on Wednesday (3 October).

Four Central European countries announced Monday (1 October) a plan to build a high-speed rail link between Budapest and Warsaw, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter  Szijjártó.

While most of the political attention is – rightly – focused on the headline target for CO2 reduction, the discussion on car emissions has also much more to it, writes Greg Archer.

Drivers of the most polluting diesel vehicles can now be fined in Brussels after a grace period expired on Sunday (30 September), just as air pollution in the Belgian capital looks ready to heavily influence local elections.

At first glance, buildings and transport may look like two unrelated subjects. But with the mass deployment of electric vehicles, managing the electricity consumption of cars when they recharge becomes critical to ensure grid stability, writes Harry Verhaar.

Germany’s environment ministry revealed on Wednesday (26 September) that the Bundesrepublik will back an EU-wide 30% CO2 cut for cars and vans - lower than expected by green NGOs - ahead of an important vote in the European Parliament next week.

Air pollution in Brussels has gotten worse for the second year in a row, according to data published by the national government.

The European Commission ordered Ryanair on Wednesday (26 September)  to respect EU rules by giving workers contracts in the country they live rather than in Ireland where its planes are registered.