New emissions standard could make cars and trucks noticeably more expensive

Created: 2022-10-25 05:01

The EU Commission intends to present a proposal for the new emissions standard soon.

© Carsten Koall/dpa

Because road traffic still contributes significantly to air pollution, the EU Commission is working on the proposal for a new emissions standard.

Figures on possible costs are already causing criticism.

Brussels - Cars and especially trucks could become noticeably more expensive due to the planned new Euro 7 emissions standard.

According to an impact assessment by the responsible EU Commission, the regulation-related costs for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are estimated at 304 euros each, according to a document available to the German Press Agency.

For trucks and buses, an amount of 2681 euros is even mentioned for the preferred regulation option.

On the other hand, according to calculations by the Commission, there are significant health and environmental benefits.

They are estimated at up to 55.8 billion or even up to 133.6 billion euros over 25 years and are explained primarily by a reduction in harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5).

In contrast, the total regulation-related costs for manufacturers of cars and light commercial vehicles would amount to only around 35.5 billion euros in this period, and 17.5 billion euros for trucks and buses.

EU Parliament criticizes timing

However, criticism is already coming from the European Parliament.

"The timing couldn't be more inconvenient: the world is on fire, inflation is sending prices soaring, businesses and citizens are groaning under soaring energy prices, and the Commission is proposing new emissions standards that will ultimately drive down the price of cars and especially trucks and let buses continue to skyrocket," comments CSU MEP Markus Ferber.

This is also absurd because according to the current plans, de facto no more combustion engines should come onto the market from 2035 onwards and the infrastructure expansion necessary for e-mobility is not making any real progress.

After preliminary planning, the responsible EU Commission intends to present its proposal for the new emissions standard on November 9th.

In particular, it should also take new vehicle technologies into account and ensure that emissions are measured in real time.

According to information from the EU Commission, the exact level of the future emission limit values ​​is still being discussed.

According to a draft regulation, however, the old limit values ​​of the Euro 6 standard could also be adopted, at least for petrol cars.

Such an approach would take into account that conventional combustion engines should no longer be sold from 2035 anyway.

Manufacturers could thus avoid high investments in new emission reduction systems.

dpa