(Finance) – The EU action plan for the automotive sector today must mark a demarcation line for concessions to the automotive industry on climatic objectives, he said Transport & Environment (T&E)the main independent European organization for the decarbonisation of transport.
The European Commission plan includes crucial measures to stimulate the demand for electric vehicles produced in the EU, including a legislative initiative to electrify company fleets. However, the decision of grant two more years to car manufacturers to adapt The main stimulus for European automotive stimulus to recover land in the racing to electrify to the reduction of CO2 emissions to the CO2 emissions.
T&E believes that the positive, but currently generic, measures, foreseen in the plan to promote national subsidies and social leasing schemes, will be frustrated by the shaving of CO2 objectives for 2025. The loosening of these objectives would bring car manufacturers to sell up to 880,000 less electric cars between 2025 and 2027 than the current objectives; The necessary stimulus to produce models of cheaper electric vehicles would also be missing.
T&DA asks that, during the revision of the regulation, legislators resist at any pressure to modify the CO2 emissions reduction objectives for 2030 and 2035. Cars, vans, trucks and buses are responsible for 22% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.
Andrea Boraschi, director of T & and Italydeclares: “The ink with which this plan is written is still fresh and the automotive industry is already asking for further concessions. But the impacts of the duties and global crises will not be relieved by slowing down electrification. This will only give China an even greater advantage over electric cars. This EU plan must mark a line of no returnif the European industry finally wants to recover ground “.
The Commission has declared that it is evaluating the possibility of supporting the production of batteries in the EU, as well as to introduce requirements on the local content of the materials. But it would be a late and insufficient intervention. Last year, battery production projects with a total capacity of at least 100 GWh were canceled, while European producers struggle to compete with global competition, the subsidies paid in other parts of the world and the disparity of economic and productive conditions. The EU will also take into consideration the financial support to the battery recycling supply chain, A sector with great potential to reduce mineral imports, but which is struggling to grow in Europe.
T&E has welcomed the announcement that support for the production of batteries will be subject to the transfer of technologies and skills for the benefit of the home industry by foreign investors – such as European companies have been obliged to do in China for decades. But the announcement on the European content requirements for the cells and the components of the batteries appears vague and devoid of that determination and urgency essential to deal with the challenge.
“The naivety with which so far we have supported the settlement of the Chinese batteries industry in Europe must turn to the end. If the EU is serious about the domestic production of this clean technology, financial incentives focused on the growth of a scale economy and local content requirements must be put in place now. Three years after the launch of the American inflammation ACT (IRA), the time of assessments is over. Economic support will have to be guaranteed to all producers, but foreign companies must be placed in the condition of sharing their knowledge, just as European producers have had to do for years out of our continent “, continues Boraschi.
According to a separate communication published today, the Commission will also propose a legislative initiative to decarbonize the company fleets. A objective of electrification of large fleets would increase the competitiveness of European car manufacturers, who already sell 62% of their vehicles in the corporate channel today. As highlighted in a recent analysis of T&E, A Target of Sole Car Zero Zero Emission starting from 2030, valid for large corporate fleets, could guarantee European Carmakers a question of over 2 million electric vehicles. A quantity of battery cars, this, equivalent to half of the sales necessary to achieve the 55% reduction objectives of CO2 emissions to 2030.
Corporate cars are the largest EU car market, representing about 60% of new registrations. Despite the great potential they cover for the transition and growth of the automotive industry of the block, companies in Europe are electrifying at a rhythm almost equal to that of private individuals (14.3% compared to 13.6%). A new EU law, with binding objectives for the electrification of large fleets, could stimulate the investments of European car manufacturers and encourage the entry of almost 7 million beings on the second -hand market by 2035.
Esther Marchetti, Clean Transport Advocacy Manager of T&E Italia: “The fact that the EU will propose a law to accelerate the electrification of company car fleets and logistics sector this year is excellent news not only in terms of a rapid reduction in emissions, but also because this initiative will strengthen the competitiveness of Europe e will support the car manufacturers in the transition. The EU must propose a regulation with binding objectives for the electrification of large fleets. Any delay would deprive the battery manufacturers and the industry that develops the recharging infrastructure of the necessary investment guarantees they need in the coming years “.
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