EU Member States Approve Zero-Emissions Limit on New Cars
EU member states have given final approval to a plan that requires all new cars sold in the European Union to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. The new law is part of the EU’s efforts to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A quarter of the bloc’s emissions come from the transportation sector, and 70% of that is road traffic.
The plan also requires that, by the year 2030, the average emissions of new cars drop by 55% and the average emissions of new vans drop by 50%, compared with vehicle emissions in 2021. This ambitious target is more challenging than similar efforts in the U.S.
Poland opposed the new law, and Italy, Bulgaria, and Romania abstained from the vote. Despite these challenges, the European Commission remains committed to achieving its goal of making all new vehicles emission-free.
Germany Secures Exemption for Vehicles Burning E-Fuels
Germany led a campaign to create an exemption for vehicles using efuels as a way to keep internal-combustion cars on the road under carbon-emissions bans. Efuels are seen by some automakers as carbon-neutral because they are made with carbon captured from the atmosphere and green hydrogen generated through electrolysis. The European Commission plans to release a proposal on how this rule will be implemented this fall, with a requirement that e-fuel cars can’t be filled with gasoline or diesel.
Although efuels may offer a way to transition away from gas-burning vehicles, they are not a long-term solution. Experts say that the shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles won’t be easy due to challenges such as the high cost of electric cars, China’s dominance of the electric battery supply chain, and a lack of charging infrastructure.
EU Sets Guidelines for Charging Infrastructure
The European Commission also released new guidelines for charging infrastructure, including a requirement for 1.3 kw of power for each EV in every EU member country and fast-charging stations of at least 150 kw output placed every 37.2 miles along trans-European highways from 2025 onwards. The guidelines will help ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support electric vehicles as they become more widespread.
Additionally, the European Commission set a plan in motion for heavy-duty EV charging and for hydrogen infrastructure, but all of these measures still need to be passed by the European Parliament and Council, with a transition period before implementation.
U.S. States Propose Bans on Gas-Powered Cars
California and several other U.S. states have proposed bans on new internal-combustion vehicles except for plug-in hybrids, but not all states following California’s emissions rules agree with the 2035 gas-car ban. President Biden has signed an executive order setting a goal that half of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles.
The transition away from gas-burning vehicles is an essential step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing the effects of climate change. While there are various challenges to overcome, the EU’s ambitious plan shows that significant progress can be made when nations commit to pushing towards a cleaner future.
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