European Commission confirms 2020 emission targets for cars and vans

The European Commission put forward proposals to implement targets that will further considerably reduce CO2 emissions from new cars and light commercial vehicles by 2020. The proposals will cut average emissions from new cars to 95 grams of CO2 per km (g CO2/km) in 2020 from 135.7g in 2011 and a mandatory target of 130g in 2015. Emissions from vans will be reduced to 147g CO2/km in 2020 from 181.4g in 2010 (the latest year for which figures are available) and a mandatory target of 175g in 2017.
Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action, said : "with our proposals, we are not only protecting the climate and saving consumers money. We are also boosting innovation and competitiveness in the European automotive industry. And we will create substantial numbers of jobs as a result. This is a clear win-win situation for everyone".
CLEPA welcomes theses proposals. "The 2020 targets are achievable, economically sound and cost effective, said Jean Marc Gales, CEO of this european suppliers association. The technology is already available and affordable. Limiting emissions to 95 gr/Km would add around 1000 euros to the price of car and that would be quickly paid off through savings in fuels consumption".
According to the Commission, each new car will on average save its owner around € 340 in fuel costs in the first year, and an estimated total of € 2904-3836 over the car's lifetime (13 years), as compared with the 2015 target. For vans the average fuel cost saving is estimated at around €400 in the first year and €3363-4564 over their 13-year lifetime.
Overall, consumers will save around € 30 bn per year in fuel costs and it is estimated that the targets could increase EU GDP by € 12 bn annually and spending on employment by some € 9 bn a year. The proposals would in total save 160 million tonnes of oil – worth around € 70 bn at today's prices - and around 420 million tonnes of CO2 in the period to 2030.