A Frontier Economics study published by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (Acea) raises the alarm: the introduction of the new Euro 7 standards will lead to industrial costs 4 to 10 times higher than the European Commission's estimates.
For cars and vans it could reach 2,000 thousand euros, for heavy vehicles even 12,000 / source: Acea (for Regulations and institutions) Figures that go beyond the assessment of the impact of Euro 7 carried out at Union level, that is, 180-450 euros for cars and vans and 2,800 for trucks and buses.
"These estimates - explains Acea - include only direct production costs, mainly for equipment and investments".
The Association also highlights that it is important to note that these additional costs will not correspond to increases in purchase prices and end users will most likely have to pay more than the values highlighted in the study.
"With the current Euro 6/VI standards - Acea reiterates - the Union has the most complete and rigorous standards in the world for polluting emissions such as NOx and particulates and they are already at a barely measurable level thanks to the most modern technologies".
Now the European automotive industry is committed to further reducing emissions for the benefit of the climate, the environment and health.
"However, the Euro 7 proposal - said Sigrid de Vries, director general of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association - is not the right way to achieve this goal, as it would have an extremely low environmental impact at an extremely high cost".
Among other things - we read in the report - "In addition to direct costs, the Euro 7 proposal will generate indirect ones, such as greater fuel consumption. Over the life of a vehicle, this could increase fuel expenditure by 3, 5%, with an impact of 20,000 euros more for long-haul trucks and 650 euros for cars and vans."
Recent studies, concludes Acea, have shown that the replacement of the oldest and most polluting vehicles on European roads with the most recent Euro 6/VI models together with the electrification of new vehicles would guarantee an 80% reduction in emissions compared to 2020. NOx from road transport by 2030.
Over the same period, the most stringent Euro 7 scenarios - i.e. with limits for NOx and particles set at zero - would reduce NOx emissions from road transport by only a further 4% for cars and vans and 2 % for trucks, compared to Euro 6/VI scenarios.
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