Feb 21 (Reuters) - The European Union should reject
European automakers' push to weaken 2025 CO2 car emission
targets and related fines, two European electric transport
groups wrote in a letter to European Commission President Ursula
von der Leyen on Friday.
The letter, seen by Reuters, said the EU executive, which
will present auto sector plans on March 5, should not accept
slower phasing in of emission targets or basing fines on a
multi-year average and that any fines should go to subsidise the
bloc's transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
EU carmakers, which are struggling to compete with Chinese
rivals and bracing for U.S. tariffs, are urging the Commission
to grant relief from fines they say could rise to 15 billion
euros ($15.7 billion) if their fleets do not meet CO2 emission
limits in 2025.
Any flexibility that pushes back the 2025 CO2 limits will
only put Europe further behind China in EVs and have a chilling
effect on EU investment plans in charging infrastructure,
battery development and manufacturing, the letter from
E-Mobility Europe and ChargeUp Europe said.
E-Mobility Europe represents EV makers, supply chain
companies, fleet owners and infrastructure providers, while
ChargeUp Europe focuses on the EV charging industry. Tesla
is a member of both.
EU automakers say the problem they face is a shortage of
demand, due in part to consumer concerns about inadequate
charging infrastructure.
Aurelien de Meaux, chief executive of charging company
Electra, said this was a false narrative and that EU charging
stations could accept five to seven times more vehicles without
being saturated and that his sector was investing billions of
euros in infrastructure expansion.
"It would be a disaster to backpedal on policy," he said.
The groups said in the letter that the 2025 CO2 targets are
achievable, pointing to 11 new models priced under 25,000 being
launched and January 2025 EV sales up 40% year-on-year.
De Meaux also said the 15 billion euro fine figure was based
on sales in the first six months of 2024 and so wrong. He said
projections pointed to fines of perhaps 4-6 billion euros, which
could be halved through trading credits with other companies.
The groups support targets or incentives for corporate
fleets to electrify, given they make up about 60% of new car
sales.
($1 = 0.9564 euros)