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)