Europe's car brands will not only have to go on a serious diet in the coming years. But relaxing emissions requirements will only make matters worse, critics say.
The EU's stricter emissions requirements for car manufacturers from the new year 2025 will force manufacturers to sell at least 20 percent electric cars to avoid major stalls.
That's a significant increase from the 13 percent that applied last year. Electric cars are therefore a hot topic in the automotive industry at the moment. But now the European car industry is warning that the regulations could send it even further behind the Chinese.
There are already warnings from several European car manufacturers that it could be a major challenge to meet the new requirements.
This is due, among other things, to the limited demand for electric cars in many of the major European markets. Therefore, it may be difficult to achieve the EU's goals.
The penalties that producers risk if they do not comply with the requirements are also tangible.
In fact, the total fine could reach 15 billion euros, which is equivalent to a staggering 112 billion Danish kroner. This is according to calculations from the automotive industry itself. The amounts are based on sales figures from the first half of 2023.
To avoid massive fines that could lead to layoffs and factory closures, car manufacturers are now trying to get the authorities to change course on the emissions issue.
It is a fight for survival, as 13 million people are employed in the European automotive industry, and many of those jobs are at risk.
Volkswagen has already warned about the consequences the stalls will have for the entire German group. Read more about it here .
However, the attempt to relax the requirements met with resistance from several sides.
Among others, from two Europeans, E-Mobility Europe and ChargeUp Europe, who in a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warn against giving in to pressure from car manufacturers.
Reuters writes.
The two organizations, which include Tesla as a member, believe that it will harm the European automotive industry in the long run and make them even further behind China.
However, the EU insists that only zero-emission cars will be sold in Europe from 2035, and that gradually stricter emission requirements will be introduced in the coming years.
One of the proposals that the automotive industry has reportedly put forward is to allow the sale of plug-in hybrids even after 2035.
