This standard should tighten the restrictions concerning pollutant emissions from vehicles. The builders’ lobby warns this Tuesday about rising costs and therefore prices to respect it.
The future Euro 7 standard, currently under discussion, could push manufacturers to increase the cost of their vehicles by another 2,000 euros on average, the new president of the European Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Luca de Meo, estimated on Tuesday.
The general manager of Renault led a charge on Tuesday against the Euro 7 standard, under discussion after its presentation by the European Commission in November 2022, yet already considered very favorable to the sector by environmental activists.
Brussels proposes in particular to make vehicle emissions tests more in line with real driving conditions and to set limits on the emission of particles caused by brake and tire wear.
The Euro 7 standard, applicable from 2025, would reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles by 35% compared to the previous Euro 6 standard, according to the Commission.
+2000 euros on average depending on the sector
Manufacturers, already shaken by the electric revolution, want a minimum standard for these thermal engines that will disappear in 2035.
A standard enacted according to the Commission’s plan would increase the price of cars by an average of 2,000 euros for buyers, and could reduce the European market, already in bad shape, by another 7 to 10%, according to Lucas De Meo, who carried out during the a press conference in Brussels.
“People will keep their cars longer and buy used cars instead of new cars,” the ACEA president described.
According to Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, this additional cost would only be “100 to 150 euros per vehicle”.
Deadlines too short for Renault
The automotive industry could achieve a much better cost-benefit ratio by “redirecting the huge investment demanded by Euro 7 towards accelerated electrification, cheaper electric cars, or less polluting fuels”, according to the president of the ‘ACEA.
“The deadlines are too short, the conditions are too broad: at Renault, they could lead to the closure of four factories in the short term”, threatened Lucas De Meo.
The ACEA, on the other hand, supported the European “green pact” for industry, seen as a “response to the IRA”, the plan of massive subsidies from the United States to their industry. The text on critical raw materials (from rare earths to lithium) is also eagerly awaited by the industry.
