A T&E analysis of a new EU funding programme for research and innovation has said ‘nothing less than zero’ greenhouse gases should be the guiding principle for projects which receive EU funding. The analysis also says tackling climate breakdown requires a better coordination of EU policies and actions pursued at national government level.
Car manufacturers will produce more than enough electric vehicles to comply with their CO2 reduction targets if they stick to their plans, new analysis shows. The production of electric cars and vans in Europe is set to multiply six-fold between 2019 and 2025, by which time 22% of vehicles produced could have a plug – more than enough to meet the EU’s car CO2 standard for that same year.
The EU has adopted legislation, known as Horizon Europe, to shape EU Research & Innovation (R&I) spending for the 2021-2027 period. With a proposed budget of almost €100 bn, the programme aims to stimulate technological innovation and help the EU decarbonise. In this paper T&E argues that it should be subject to a clear prioritisation of clean transport technologies in order to put the transport sector on a strategic pathway towards net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 at the latest.
The number of electric car models on the UK market could more than triple within the next three years, new analysis shows. After several years of timid growth, carmakers will be offering 214 electric models across Europe in 2021 – up from the 60 available, officially at least, at the end of 2018. Transport & Environment (T&E), which publishes the analysis today using data from authoritative industry source IHS Markit, said it is clear the shift to electric cars is underway. However, in the UK the supply of electric cars may be a trickle compared to those in Europe while production of electric models could fall behind European competitors.
The number of electric car models on the European market will more than triple within the next three years, new analysis shows. After several years of timid growth, EU carmakers will be offering 214 electric models in 2021 – up from the 60 available at the end of 2018. Transport & Environment (T&E), which publishes the analysis today using data from authoritative industry source IHS Markit, said it is clear most manufacturers are ready to embrace electrification, but governments must ensure drivers have the right tax incentives and charging infrastructure to move away from diesel and petrol fast.
Electric cars are about to go mainstream in Europe, and 2020/2021 is likely to be a tipping point for the market. Until recently, the EV market was limited to a niche of early adopters but tomorrow’s landscape will be very different as EVs enter a new phase and near the mass market. This report (downloadable below) shows where the future electric cars and batteries will be produced in Europe, and analyses the expected production trends, and whether or not these are enough to meet the EU demand up until 2025.
About a week ago Ursula von der Leyen, Germany’s defence minister, was nominated to lead the next European Commission having emerged as the compromise candidate after a lengthy European Council meeting. As this op-ed goes to press Von der Leyen, or VdL as she is now known, is busy drumming up support for her candidacy in the European Parliament. She can count on the EPP (her group - she is a member of Germany’s CDU) but will need to convince MEPs of the social democrat (S&D) and liberal (Renew) groups.
Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars are rising, and are back over 120 grams per kilometre, according to provisional data from the European Environment Agency. CO2 from vans also rose in 2018. T&E has blamed the rises on carmakers maximising their profits from gas-guzzling SUVs in the remaining years before stricter standards force them to sell cleaner vehicles from 2020 onwards.
Official new data from the EU’s environmental watchdog (EEA) shows that the CO2 emissions of new cars increased by 1.6% in 2018 to 120.4 grams of CO2 per km. While the lack of progress in real-world emissions and fuel efficiency was known for years, [1] now even the optimised and unrealistic lab test tests can no longer hide the problem. For the first time, CO2 emissions from vans also rose, by 1.2%.
You could almost hear the sigh of relief going through the ‘Quartier Européen’ two weeks ago. Despite all the talk of a populist anti-EU insurgency taking Brussels by storm, that was not Sunday evening’s story. The people’s party (EPP) and the social democrats (S&D) each lost 30-40 seats. But the big surprise was the excellent performance of liberal and green parties. By Monday morning people started to talk about ‘a green wave’ with even the European Commission’s most powerful bureaucrat, Martin Selmayr, joining the chorus.
