The heads of BMW, Volkswagen, and Renault have spoken out against European Union’s emission targets in recent days, arguing that the phase-out rules put too much pressure on the industry and that consumers aren’t buying EVs fast enough. Next year, the policy will tighten ahead of the full ban of gas and diesel cars in 2035, leaving automakers to pay steep fines if they fall short.
In 2025, the EU will require a 25% reduction of fleet emissions from new passenger cars sold in Europe, compared to 2021 figures – and legacy automakers are not happy about that, arguing that basing their entire industry on the whims of consumers’ desire (or not) to buy EVs isn’t fair.
Failure to comply with the new rules will come at a cost, a €95 ($102) fine for every vehicle registered in the EU, multiplied annually by each CO2 g/km above the target.
“We believe a…