An attempt at a ‘clean’ diesel comeback in Germany this month has been wrecked by claims that the country’s carmakers ran a cartel to bring down the cost of various components and technology – including on cutting emissions.
The UK will end sales of all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040, the government has said in response to the threat to public health from rising levels of NOx emissions. The pledge follows a similar move in France and is part of the UK government’s clean air plan, which it was required to bring forward after a legal challenge by NGO Client Earth.
Does car sharing really reduce car use? This provocative statement is the title of a new T&E briefing aimed at highlighting the benefits car sharing brings. It forms part of a growing debate on ‘collaborative economies’, an area in which the European Commission is looking to plug a legislative gap in an attempt to maximise the environmental potential from trade that involves sharing established assets.
The European Commission has hinted that it might set quotas for carmakers to have a percentage of their fleet made up of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Brussels is working on a revision of CO2 limits from cars and vans, and comments from an official confirm that a ZEV quota is under consideration. T&E has welcomed the development.
A leaked letter shows the EU industry commissioner has issued a stark warning to transport ministers that the consequences of the Dieselgate scandal, and the failure to clean up dirty diesel cars still on our roads, are contributing to a city air pollution crisis. The leaked letter, seen by Transport & Environment (T&E), stresses the need for carmakers to “rapidly reduce” NOx emissions of the diesel fleet in Europe; and that in the absence of this cities are being increasingly forced to resort to “local diesel bans”.
Choked with toxic fumes, more and more cities across Europe are planning diesel bans. Even the iconic homes of Daimler and BMW, Stuttgart and Munich respectively, are considering the step in light of the high real-world emissions of nitrogen oxides. But German regional and national governments are striking back and partnering with the German car industry against the health of citizens to promote diesel as “clean”.
The recent Belgium TV expose has opened a new debate about how “clean” diesel cars really are in the real world and the effectiveness of both the emissions testing and car approval system.
Platform for Electro-Mobility reaction to Council position on EPBD EU ministers have agreed on a common approach to the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The European Commission’s legislative proposal for the EPBD introduced obligations for EU countries to ensure adequate and future-proof pre-equipping of buildings for electric vehicle (EV) recharging points.
The European Parliament's environment committee today adopted an opinion on the EU's Low-emission Mobility strategy, signalling the Parliament's desire for ambitious future CO2 standards for cars and vans just a few months before the European Commission’s proposal is expected in November.
Before the expected revision of the car CO2 regulation at the end of 2017, this all-day conference will discuss post-2020 CO2 standards for cars and provide a high level stage for policy and technical exchange.
