Green cars – Fostering Europe’s leadership in car manufacturing
In 2010, the automotive industry enters into a defining phase for its future success. Clean and energy efficient technologies are an opportunity to recreate and reinvent the position of market leader and technological champion.
Vice-President Antonio Tajani underlined: “We need to respond to this by encouraging the production of clean and energy efficient cars, which will be the vehicles of the future.” At the end of April 2010 Antonio Tajani announced a major break in the European car policy with the proposal of encouraging the development and eventual widespread use of clean and energy efficient vehicles, as well as other forms of engines like the electric vehicles. This European strategy aims to help the European car industry to strengthen its leading role globally basing its production on clean and energy-efficient technologies. The strategy contains an Action Plan composed of concrete and ambitious measures.
The Commission will among other continue its legislative programme on vehicle emission reduction; support research and innovation in green technologies; propose guidelines for demand-side incentives; ensure that alternative propulsion vehicles are at least as safe as conventional ones; promote common standards that will allow all electric vehicles to be charged anywhere in the EU; encourage installation of publicly accessible charging points; promote the development of smart (CO2 neutral) charging of electric cars; update the rules and promote research on recycling of batteries.
For the full list of actions, see Press MEMO/10/153 and the related press release: Clean and energy efficient vehicles: European Commission tables strategy
More information on European strategy on clean and energy efficient vehicles
Electrical cars need to be safe
Electric power trains operate at high voltage levels (500 Volts). The European Commission proposed on 15th of June 2010 to ensure that electric cars are safe and that consumers are protected against direct contacts with parts of the car under voltage. These measures will speed up the introduction of safe electric cars on European roads which have strong potential for reducing CO2 emissions.
Press release Car type-approvals and electrical vehicle safety
Towards a European common charger for electric vehicles
Electric cars are no longer some abstract concept. In the very near future these will be on our roads. To pave the way for their commercial success we cannot afford to have incompatible systems leading to a fragmented market in Europe. A common approach is therefore of importance both for European consumers and companies and will allow the EU to become a global leader in the sector. To avoid a fragmented market in Europe, the European Standardisation Organisations bodies (CEN-CENELEC and ETSI) will develop a common charging system for electric cars, scooters and bicycles.
European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani has handed on 29th of June 2010 a European Commission mandate for the development of the relevant standard to the President of CEN-CENELEC David Dossett, CEN-CENELEC´s Director General Elena Santiago Cid and ETSI General Assembly Chair John Philips. The new standard ensures that all types of electric vehicles and their batteries are charged both safely and easily in all EU Member States. Thanks to this mandate plugs and connectors will use the same standard all across Europe, providing a true European solution independently of brands or countries. The Commission expects that the standard will be ready by mid-2011.
