An influential mobility environmental group has added its voice to calls for the European Commission to allow sales of new, carbon-neutral internal-combustion-engine vehicles to help reduce CO2 emissions.
The commission, the European Union’s trade regulator, is negotiating with automakers, suppliers and related bodies about its proposed ban on ICE in new vehicles from 2035 with its zero-tailpipe emissions mandate.
Now the Brussels, Belgium-based Association for Emissions Control and Climate (AECC) said a multi-energy approach to vehicle powertrains will contribute to lowering CO2 emissions quicker than forcing consumers into battery-electric vehicles.
“We believe this is an opportunity to revise the existing road transport decarbonization framework based on a technology-neutral approach to ensure that the transition to sustainable road transport is workable for both industrial actors and EU citizens,” the AAEC said in a statement, referring to the commission’s consultation on the ban which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Its comments follows renewed calls to scrap the proposed ICE ban by the CEO of the auto supply giant Mahle, Arnd Franz.
The commission’s review is crucial to ensure that the automotive sector moves toward net-zero while remaining competitive and innovative, the AECC said.
The AECC said that a thriving automotive industry is needed to “deliver affordable, convenient and clean mobility for all consumers and road transport users, while retaining the highly skilled EU workforce and ‘made in Europe’ products.”
Current vehicle CO2 emission standards are based solely on tailpipe targets, whereas total lifecycle emissions are the real issue to tackle, it insists.
“Road transport decarbonization policy must be grounded in current lifecycle data and robust scientific evidence, not outdated assumptions that favor electromobility over other viable solutions,” the AECC said.
The AECC said this can be achieved through regulators using a technology-neutral approach to achieve the EU’s long-term net-zero CO2 goals.
“A technology-neutral approach to CO2 emission standards will ensure complementary technologies innovate while helping us to reach a net-zero economy in a more resilient, competitive and affordable way,” the AECC said.
