Brussels, 22/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - Dieter Zetsche, the new president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on the organisation's 25th anniversary on Thursday 21 January that the legislation on CO2 emissions has to be better articulated with the rules on type-approval test cycles for vehicles.
“There is no doubt; we need new test cycles in Europe. However, important regulations on CO2, emissions and test cycles continue to be drafted separately - disregarding important interconnections”, he said, addressing the issue of the new real driving emissions (RDE) tests which are due to come into force this year.
In the view of car manufacturers, the Commission and the European legislators must, first, set realistic emissions levels in European standards (Euro 6) and, second, better harmonise the introduction dates of a laboratory test for measuring pollutant and CO2 emissions (Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedures - WLTP) and tests under real driving conditions.
The disparity between European standards and the non-compliance tolerance threshold in RDE tests is currently a matter of hot discussion in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 11471). The parliamentary committee voted down the compliance factor agreement reached by the member states in October (see EUROPE 11421). The plenary session vote on the objection to the compliance factor is expected in February.
Elsewhere, the ACEA president stated once again that European legislation did not take sufficient account of the time required by industry. Enough time had to be allowed for the potential reductions in the regulations to be achieved and to put new technology into application, he stated, pointing out that adapting to European standards and to innovations takes between four and seven years on average. Failing to grant sufficient time inevitably will lead to failure to achieve the goals set, he warned.
In another issue of current interest and as a rebuff to a section of society and some politicians who are becoming ever more keen to see diesel technology abandoned, Zetsche again highlighted its importance in tackling CO2 emissions (see EUROPE 11408). Diesel engines, he said, emit 20% less CO2 than comparable petrol engines. It would, then, be foolish, he argued, not to make full use of this technology.
Zetsche was cautious in his forecast for sales in Europe in 2016. He expects sales to increase by around 2%, to around 14 million vehicles. The forecast may be positive but sales remain below the 2007 pre-crisis level of 17 million units. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)