ACEA — 2025-02-03
News from Brussels
The industry seeks phased-in compliance and an average compliance mechanism to ease 2025 rules to avoid risks of penalties as EV uptake stagnant.
Car and van manufacturers are facing the risk of potential fines of up to €16 bn or significant compliance costs, including options like pooling, pricing, or reducing manufacturing footprints. The manufacturers are also the only party subject to hefty fines for conditions that are outside of their control, such as the insufficient rollout of recharging and hydrogen refilling infrastructure. The industry can’t wait for the Commission to conclude the Strategic Dialogue on the future of the automotive industry to solve the 2025 penalties issue for cars and vans. Critical investment decisions are being made now, not months from now.
“The solutions that are on the table for light-duty vehicles are flexibilities and not a U-turn in the decarbonisation policy. There is no turning back on the transition – more than €250 bn in investments by vehicle makers into zero-emission technologies are the best testament to it,” said Sigrid de Vries, Director General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
Having in mind the specific situation of the light-commercial vehicles market and the even more difficult situation with the market uptake of the electrified vans so far, multiple flexibilities (at least both phase-in and five years averaging principle) to be introduced for the vans segment in order to safeguard 2025 relief and avoid paying penalties due to vans non-compliance.
It is crucial that a tailored solution for 2025 for cars and vans doesn’t prevent a full review of CO2 regulations in 2025. This review will allow for a broader discussion on structural adjustments to the CO2 framework and a more cohesive strategy to ensure a green, competitive transition.