Brussels, 02/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - The aluminium industry is accusing the European Commission of sidelining a considerable reduction of CO2 emissions from cars by placing a limit of 140 kg on the amount of aluminium that can be used in their assembly. With the rules on CO2 and cars possibly being revised this summer, the aluminium sector intends to have this threshold increased.
It is well accepted that cars can and should do more to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Two options are possible: improve engine performance, or make cars lighter. Aluminium makes the latter possible, and this would work out cheaper for car builders, argues the European Aluminium Association (EAA). The snag is that the legislation in force (EC/443/2009) makes it impossible to fully exploit this potential, as it allows just 140 kg of aluminium per car. This is a lost opportunity because, according to an extrapolation based on an exponential increase in the proportion of aluminium used in cars, it would be possible to include 40 kg more by 2020 (according to a study by Ducker Worldwide, published this 2 April in cooperation with the EAA). Calculations indicate that at this stage, a car made lighter by use of aluminium (up to 140 kg per car) already makes it possible to save 65 L of petrol a year. Of the 17 million cars produced in 2012, this would equate to preventing 43 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the lifespan of the vehicles. What would this result be if the upper limit of aluminium rose to 180 kg a car?
On the basis of this calculation, the EAA wonders why more should not be done, and therefore recommends that the limits laid down in regulation EC/443/2009 be increased: “the current system clearly discriminates against light-weighing compared to other CO2 reduction measures”, says Bernard Gilmont, Building & Transport Director of the European Aluminium Association. “As long as this provision continues, light-weighting of cars will not deliver its full potential”, he continued. The EAA calls for the adoption of a “technologically neutral solution which would enable manufacturers to choose to have their emission target calculation based on either the vehicle mass or footprint”. (MD/transl.fl)