China’s clean vehicles sales quota a game changer for the EU
Today’s announcement by China of quotas on imports and production for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles is a game changer in decarbonising transport and a wake-up call to the EU to not be left behind in cleaning up its car fleet, sustainable transport group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said. The European Commission is considering introducing a zero-emission vehicle sales target in the draft EU car CO2 standards expected in November.
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China, the world’s largest car market, has set the 2019 ‘new energy vehicles’ sales quota (covering fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles) for automakers at 10% of their annual vehicle sales for that year. In 2020, the NEV sales quota will be set at 12% of annual sales. Considering the quota’s credit structure, this would translate into 4-5% plug-in vehicle sales in 2020. China is the second global auto market to adopt a ZEV mandate after California.
Julia Hildermeier, clean vehicles and e-mobility officer at T&E, said: “China’s decision to mandate plug-in vehicle sales is a wake-up call for Europe and is a sure sign that zero-emission vehicles are the future. European carmakers’ obsession with diesel means they’re now scrambling to comply with the Chinese rules. If Europe wants to keep a strong a competitive car industry, we’ll need to make sure investments and manufacturing in plug-in cars happen in Europe, not just in Asia. That’s why a European sales target for zero emission vehicles is essential.”
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