The seven (dirty) air pollution tricks of the auto industry

The EU is currently revising its main law to cut pollution from cars, vans and trucks, Euro 6 emission standards, and developing new emissions standards, Euro 7, to be implemented from 2025. The Commission assembled emissions experts from across Europe, known as CLOVE, to independently assess the shortfalls in the current car and truck emissions regulation, and propose new emission limits and tests based on what is both economically and technically feasible.

Following months of work and consultations, CLOVE earlier this year presented its recommendations that suggest stricter limits and rules based on what new emissions technologies, such as e-catalysts, can achieve.

The response from car manufacturers has been to fiercely oppose the CLOVE proposals, and to aggressively lobby against a stronger Euro 7 emissions standard. This includes using dirty tricks and unsubstantiated claims, including that Euro 7 will kill off the internal combustion engine. This briefing highlights those tricks and why they are misleading.