Sales of electric cars are decreasing at the same time as the EU’s emission requirements are tightening. This can lead to many billions in fines.
– If the share of electric vehicles does not increase, the European car industry may be forced to pay 15 billion euros in fines or reduce sales by 2.5 million vehicles, says Renault’s CEO Luca de Meo, in the French national radio channel Inter, reports Automotive News.
The reason is that the EU lowers the bar for carbon dioxide emissions from cars from 95 grams per kilometer according to the old driving cycle NEDC to 95 grams per kilometer according to the new tougher driving cycle WLTP.
Converted completely to WLTP, it means from 116 grams to 95 grams per kilometer.
– Everyone is talking about 2035, but we should talk about 2025 because we already have problems reaching those goals, says Luca de Meo, who is also chairman of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in the interview.
The fines can be as high as SEK 1,000 per excess gram per car.
– The speed of electrification is half of what it should be so that the car manufacturers do not have to pay fines, says Luca de Meo and wishes that the EU set a more flexible deadline.
