By 2030, the CO2 emissions of cars in the European Union must fall significantly. The European Parliament approved by a large majority corresponding new EU regulations. 521 MPs voted in favor, 63 against.
Accordingly, the carbon dioxide emissions of new cars must be reduced by 37.5 percent compared to 2021. For light commercial vehicles, a CO2 reduction of 31 percent is planned. As an intermediate stage, a reduction of 15 percent must be achieved by 2025 in both vehicle classes. Formally, the EU member states still have to agree.
The specifications are much sharper than the auto industry and the federal government originally wanted. At the beginning of October, the EU states pleaded for a reduction in the CO2 value of new cars and light commercial vehicles by an average of 35 percent. Germany had previously demanded only 30 percent reduction.
Manufacturer far away from previous specifications
Environmentalists had criticized the new guidelines as too weak. The automotive industry found her too ambitious. The European car manufacturer Acea predicted "devastating" employment effects in the industry.
The rules should help to achieve the EU's overall climate protection goals and reduce CO2 emissions from road traffic. The new target values can only be achieved if automakers sell more and more vehicles without emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, such as electric cars, in addition to diesel and gasoline.
The current regulations stipulate that new cars in the EU 2021 should not emit more than 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer in the fleet average. But many manufacturers are still a long way from this current milestone: The European average was 118.5 grams. All in all, around a quarter of all greenhouse gases in the EU are from traffic, with cars and trucks accounting for the largest share.