EV100 members call for EU ambition on road transport

On December 13, Climate Group and 12 EV100 members wrote to key policymakers in European Parliament to call for the European Commission's "Fit for 55 Package" proposals to be maintained, and in some areas strengthened, to ensure the EU maintains its position as a leader in the zero-emission vehicle transition.

Click here to read the letter and its recommendations.

The European Commission’s proposals under the Fit for 55 Package represent a step in the right direction and ensure that the EU would maintain its role as a leader in the climate transition. We were very encouraged to see the proposals to revise car and van CO2 emission standards to introduce the end of sales of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles from 2035.

Since 1990, transport is the only sector in the EU that has not seen a decline in emissions. Yet to achieve the EU’s net zero 2050 goal, transport, especially road transport, must be completely decarbonised in the next 30 years. The proposals to revise the vehicle CO2 standards will keep the EU on track to net zero and send a clear signal to consumers, businesses and industry that the future of road transport in the EU is electric and would help to significantly reduce noise and air pollution, as well as CO2 emissions.

Major companies across the EU support the need for this ambition not only to address the climate emergency, but also as the key to a green recovery and transforming the European economy. We, alongside 12 EV100 members, are calling for the ambition in the European Commission’s proposals to not only be maintained, but built upon, to ensure the EU is leading the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition.

Businesses need certainty and clarity to invest in new technologies at scale and with speed. This is true on both the supply and demand side. Some are early adopters (like EV100 members) but the majority follow when incentives and regulations are clear and supportive. It is essential that the package is implemented as a whole, and there is transparency on how industries will be supported with reskilling and training as part of a just transition.

We recommend:

• Maintaining the overall level of ambition of the CO2 Emission Performance Standards for Cars and Vans to allow only zero-emission vehicles to be sold from 2035, and introduce ambitious interim targets to provide a clear path for car manufacturers to follow.
• Strengthening the fleet-based targets in the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation by ensuring an absolute minimum target and bringing forward the distance-based targets to 2025 from 2030.
• Guarantee the "right to plug" to all EV users by revising article 8 of the Energy Performance for Buildings Directive and setting an obligation that, where possible, all buildings are pre-cabled by 2035 to enable scaling up of charging points at low cost.

Click here to read our recommendations in more detail.

The EV100 members supporting this letter are: An Post, Currys, Danfoss, Delta Electronics, Grundfos, Iberdrola, IKEA, LeasePlan, Novo Nordisk, Unilever, Vattenfall and Zurich.