Cars are responsible for an eighth of Europe’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The amount of CO2 produced is directly related to the amount of fuel the vehicle consumes – lower carbon vehicles are therefore more fuel efficient and cheaper to run. In 2009, the EU set legally-binding targets for new cars to emit 130 grams of CO2 per kilometre (g/km) by 2015 and 95g/km by 2020. Companies providing technology solutions to car-makers confirm 95g can be met through conventional technology without the need to shift to electric or hydrogen powered vehicles.
10 years after Dieselgate, another scandal comes
Manufacturers want to kill off EU rules that would better reflect pollution from plug-in hybrid vehicles
But the car lobby is demanding that the EU scrap rules that would better reflect PHEV pollution.
New EU data shows the importance of the planned correction of the 'utility factor' for plug-in hybrids.