Auto Leaders Say EU CO2 Car Goals Not Attainable Anymore
(MENAFN) European car manufacturers and suppliers sounded the alarm Wednesday, declaring the EU’s CO2 emission goals for vehicles "no longer feasible" under current conditions.
In a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, industry heads from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) warned that the strict 2030 and 2035 CO2 limits for cars and vans cannot be met today.
"Meeting the rigid car and van CO2 targets for 2030 and 2035 is, in today’s world, simply no longer feasible," they wrote.
The letter was signed by Mercedes-Benz CEO and ACEA President Ola Kallenius, alongside Matthias Zink, CEO of Schaeffler Powertrain and Chassis and CLEPA President.
The executives emphasized the urgent need to "recalibrate" the current emissions reduction trajectory to balance EU climate ambitions with protecting Europe’s industrial strength, social stability, and supply chain security.
"The current CO2 reduction path in road transport must be recalibrated to ensure it delivers on EU climate goals whilst also safeguarding Europe’s industrial competitiveness, social cohesion, and the strategic resilience of its supply chains," they said.
Ahead of a critical meeting on September 12 with EU officials, Kallenius and Zink cautioned that the bloc risks losing ground in its automotive shift without a more comprehensive and pragmatic policy framework.
"Europe faces near-total dependency on Asia for the battery value chain, an uneven distribution of charging infrastructure, higher manufacturing costs -- including electricity prices -- and burdening tariffs from key trade partners, such as the 15% duty on EU vehicle exports to the US," they stressed.
Highlighting challenges in the electric vehicle market, they pointed out that battery-electric vehicle adoption remains "still far from where it needs to be," signaling that current mandates hinder rather than help progress.
"The upcoming revision of the CO2 standards for cars and vans is an opportunity to correct the course and anchor in law much-needed flexibility, industrial perspective, and a market-driven approach. It is clear by now that penalties and legal mandates alone will not drive the transition," the letter stated.
Kallenius and Zink urged that "technology neutrality" be established as the foundational principle in regulation, allowing all decarbonization technologies to contribute.
"Better leverage of key transition technologies, such as plug-in hybrid vehicles, will be critical in meeting decarbonization goals, engaging consumers in the green transformation and serving export markets where demand for this technology will remain high," they explained.
Finally, the letter called on the Commission to protect Europe’s manufacturing capabilities and technological expertise.
"Without policies that enhance European competitiveness to maintain manufacturing, the transition risks hollowing out our industrial base, putting innovation, quality employment, and supply chain resilience at risk. The world has changed drastically since the current direction has been set -- and the EU’s strategy for the automotive sector must change with it," the industry leaders concluded.
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