Civil society calls on EU policymakers to support more ambitious car and van CO2 targets

Ahead of a vote on 7 June, over 50 NGOs from across Europe have told MEPs that EU clean car rules could help pave the way to European energy independence and make significant gains for the environment, consumers, and public health. They appeal for higher CO₂ targets for carmakers this decade to speed up the transition to electric cars, which – along with fewer private car journeys and a more efficient and shared mobility system – is key to decarbonising road transport.

To have a fighting chance of tackling climate change, and to clean up air pollution while ending Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels, the groups call on MEPs to:

1. Support an EU-wide phase-out date for sales of new internal combustion engine cars and vans (including plug-in hybrids) as close to 2030 as possible but no later than 2035;
2. Put in place significantly higher CO₂ reduction targets for carmakers in both 2025 and 2030, with an additional interim target of at least 45% in 2027; 
3. Reject fake ‘green’ solutions being pushed by the oil and gas industry – such as e-fuels – that would allow carmakers to buy fuel credits to comply with their CO₂ targets; 
4. Stop giving carmakers the so-called ZLEV bonus, which significantly weakens their CO₂ targets if they sell zero and low-emission vehicles – cars that they have to produce anyway;
5. End the free CO₂ pass for heavier cars by removing the mass adjustment factor which is one of the principal reasons for the surging sales of highly-polluting SUVs.

To read the full appeal, download the letter.