Browse by topic: News, Cars, Fuels

EU-wide car labelling

Fuel efficiency chart (credit: LowCVP.org)

A new study has recommended Europe should have a single fuel economy and carbon dioxide labelling system for cars. The study by the British consultancy AEA looked at the labelling systems in operation in eight member states, and found some compare a car with the whole car market while others show only how it compares with others of the same type. It says comparisons against the whole of the available car fleet are likely to be more useful in the absence of further research. Another report in 2010 also recommended a harmonised approach to labelling.

Are electrics really more climate-friendly than other cars?

Sketch of some documents (default image for news

Fears that electric and hybrid cars are no better environmentally than oil-fuelled cars have led to a study which shows that electrics and hybrids are better over the whole of their life, but not by as much as was originally thought.

Successful speed limit abandoned

Spain is to abandon its temporary 110 km/h motorway speed limit.

‘Well to wheel’ assessment needed for road vehicles

A study ordered by the Commission has recommended the EU’s approach to regulating car and van emissions should be changed, as it is not helping to keep the environmental impact of road vehicles to a minimum.

Sowing the seeds of smarter transport policy

Opinion by Jos Dings - T&E Director
Did we miss something? Last year, the European Commission didn’t propose a single new legislative measure to clean up transport. To be fair, it has been spending most of its time worrying about the future of the Eurozone. As a result, for T&E this was the sort of year where seeds for smarter transport policy were sown. We’re optimistic that next year could bring a decent crop of positive changes.

Commission wants CO2 limits for lorries

Efforts to reduce climate emissions from road freight transport were given a boost last month when the Commission suggested the introduction of carbon dioxide emissions standards for the first time. The idea has been floated in a communication on clean and energy-efficient vehicles, which concentrates mainly on setting a framework for the development of electric cars.

An opportunity for low-carbon transport that costs nothing

Editorial by Jos Dings, T&E Director

There’s a golden opportunity just waiting to be seized in the field of European transport, but the first indications are that it will be missed.

Car CO2 limits now law

The EU's first legislation to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new cars has entered into law.

Parliament climate warning

The European Parliament's temporary committee on climate change has ended its work with a warning that global warming 'is both more rapid and more serious' than previously thought.

Belgian 'cliquet tax' revived

Belgium has reintroduced its 'cliquet tax' by which fuel tax goes up when the price of fuel goes down (but doesn’t go down when fuel prices go up). The tax was suspended last year when fuel prices rose dramatically, but was reintroduced last month when oil prices came down, and has since been raised again.

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