German Automakers Successfully Delay EU Emissions Vote

The German automakers’ industry association has been trying to delay or stop the vote on the EU lowering CO2 emissions averages, and it has been successful in delaying the vote for the third time. The vote will not come until later this month.

The EU plan would reduce average CO2 emissions to 95g/km of CO2 in 2020. The alternate German plan would force 80% of an automaker’s fleet to emit 95g/km of CO2, and the remaining 20% would not have to until 2024. This would allow German automakers to continue to produce large, luxury sedans without finding a way to significantly lower their emissions.

Britain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary are backing the EU plan, but the strong auto industries in France and Germany are opposing it.

During the meeting where the car emissions were delayed, the commission voted to limit the emissions of commercial vans to no more than 147g/km of CO2 by 2020. To become a rule, the EU ministers must pass it.

The current emissions law is that automakers must have a 130g/km of CO2 average by 2015.

Source: Autocar