Wednesday 10 October 2018

EU nations agree 35% car emissions reductions by 2030

Average carbon emissions from new passenger cars registered in the EU will have to be 35% lower by 2030.

EU nations agreed on the target, including a 15% reduction in emissions by 2025 for both cars and vans and a 30% reduction for vans by 2030.

The European Council said the CO2 reduction effort will be distributed among manufacturers "on the basis of the average mass of their vehicle fleet".

It agreed a specific incentive for manufacturers to sell fully electric or plug-in hybrids - the Council added there is a "more favourable weighting" for newly registered passenger cars in member states where the share of zero and low emission vehicles is below 60% of the EU average.

The final rules will be discussed with the European Parliament – which is seeking a more ambitious climate target – and the European Commission – which has proposed a lower goal.

Elisabeth Köstinger, Austrian Federal Minister of Sustainability and Tourism said: “Today’s agreement is a further step towards new legislation on CO2 emissions. It sets the European automotive industry on track to build cleaner cars, invest more in innovation and report more reliable emission data. By 2030, new cars will emit on average 35% less CO2 compared to the current emission standard limits. This is a solid basis on which to begin talks with the European Parliament.”