Most cars on EU roads still emit the same amount of CO2 as they did 12 years ago, despite ambitious goals and strict requirements. Electric vehicles can help the EU move closer to the goal of having a zero-emission vehicle fleet, but the European Court of Auditors warns in its report that efforts in this direction need to be accelerated, as reported by Agerpres.

The regulation on CO2 emissions from cars has set a target for the entire EU vehicle fleet since 2010, regarding the average CO2 emissions produced by newly registered cars. In addition, each manufacturer, obliged to declare CO2 emissions on conformity certificates, must pay a premium for additional emissions if they do not meet specific emission targets. Ambitions have increased over time. At the moment, the prospect of achieving zero emissions by 2035 is opening up, as specified by the Court in a statement.

"The green revolution within the EU can only occur with a substantial reduction in the number of polluting vehicles, presenting an enormous challenge. Achieving a genuine and measurable decrease in CO2 emissions from cars remains unattainable as long as internal combustion engines remain prevalent. However, it is crucial to consider that the electrification of the EU's vehicle fleet represents a colossal endeavor", said Pietro Russo, the Court member who coordinated the audit.

In the 2010s, car manufacturers exploited testing requirements gaps to achieve emission reductions in the laboratory. The gap between laboratory emissions and real-world emissions, i.e., under driving conditions, was enormous. Considering this, and also in response to the "Dieselgate" scandal, a new laboratory testing cycle became mandatory in September 2017, reflecting real driving conditions more accurately. This effectively reduced (but did not eliminate) the gap between laboratory and real-world emissions.

Real emissions from conventional cars, which still represent almost three-quarters of new vehicle registrations, have not decreased, according to auditors. In the last decade, diesel car emissions have remained constant, while gasoline car emissions have negligibly decreased (-4.6%). Technological progress in engine efficiency is more than offset by the increase in vehicle weight (approximately +10% on average) and engine power (+25% on average).

The same applies to hybrid cars, whose CO2 emissions under real driving conditions tend to be much higher than those recorded in the laboratory. In an attempt to better reflect the real situation, the proportions in which the electric and combustion engines are used will be adjusted, but only starting in 2025. Until then, plug-in hybrid vehicles will continue to be treated as low-emission vehicles, to the benefit of car manufacturers. And until then, they will continue to apply some of the provisions introduced in the CO2 emissions regulation, which allowed them to save almost 13 billion euros in 2020 in the form of premiums for additional emissions.

According to EU auditors, the decrease in average CO2 emissions under driving conditions in recent years has only been possible due to electric vehicles (which, from 1 vehicle per 100 new car registrations in 2018, have reached almost 1 in 7 in 2022). Nevertheless, the path is riddled with challenges, as the EU encounters notable hurdles in expediting the uptake of electric vehicles.

The first obstacle to overcome is access to raw materials to build enough batteries, as highlighted in a recent Court report. Previously, EU auditors also expressed concern about inadequate charging infrastructure: 70% of all electric car battery chargers in the EU are concentrated in just three countries (the Netherlands, France and Germany). Last but not least, the price is a decisive factor: given the higher initial costs of electric cars, consumers may prefer to keep their old polluting vehicles for a longer time.

Although the EU has managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in many areas over the past 30 years, CO2 emissions from the transport sector have continued to rise. In 2021, these accounted for 23% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, with cars responsible for more than half of this percentage. Manufacturers can reduce CO2 emissions by producing cars that consume less fuel (such as diesel or gasoline), by manufacturing zero-emission vehicles (such as electric cars), or by combining both technologies (in the form of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles).

The Regulation establishing performance standards for CO2 emissions from new cars is the main EU legislative act for reducing emissions from new cars. It was adopted in 2009 and was significantly amended in 2019. According to the regulation, the CO2 emissions of a car are based on measurements made under standardized conditions in a laboratory, not on emissions measured on the road.