To meet the extremely ambitious CO2 reduction goals agreed on Tuesday night by European environment ministers, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is calling for drastic action on charging infrastructure.
ACEA said it respected the council’s decision but said it come with major implications, not only for the auto industry but also for the EU economy as a whole.
European automobile manufacturers have long embraced the shift to electromobility and are radically transforming their businesses to meet the EU’s climate goals. However, the key to reaching CO2 targets is not in the industry’s hands alone, others need to play their part too.
It is now vital that all the framework conditions for going fully electric are put in place including the roll-out of a truly EU wide network of charging and refuelling infrastructure and access to the necessary raw materials.
“To be very clear: the automobile industry will fully contribute to the goal of a carbon-neutral Europe in 2050. But the decision of the council raises significant questions which have not yet been answered, such as how Europe will ensure strategic access to the key raw materials for e-mobility,” said Oliver Zipse, ACEA president and CEO of BMW.
“If the EU wants to be a pioneer of sustainable mobility, the availability of these materials must be secured. Otherwise, we will be threatened with new dependencies, as other economic regions have already positioned themselves at an early stage.
“Going forward, technology openness means that also hydrogen and other CO2-neutral fuels can play an important role in decarbonising road transport,” he added.
In the context of the ongoing negotiations on the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), ACEA also urged policy makers to match the ambitions that they have just set for the auto industry when it comes to fixing infrastructure targets for each member state.
The interim review of the CO2 regulation will be key to track progress on market developments, infrastructure deployment and the availability of raw materials.