‘Why do you talk about electric cars?’ ‘Why do you not mention cycling or walking?’ These are iterations of two questions we received frequently over the last years as we advocated for a cleaner automotive sector.
We want to address these questions. Consumers need to be able to break out of a system that fundamentally relies on fossil fuels. BEUC advocates for a mobility system where the cleaner transport options are available, affordable, and the most attractive. This requires many policy actions. Those actions include anything from reducing car emissions to using price signals to change transport habits, tackling unsubstantiated green claims, and prioritising cycle lanes and footpaths in urban planning.
Underlining the importance of car electrification is not contradictory with promoting alternatives to car use. The two must go hand-in-hand. However, promoting these alternatives is an area where there has been less visible EU policy action. But there is certainly a role for the EU – complementing local, regional, and national governments.
With the EU organising a ‘Transport Day’ at the COP28 climate summit this month – as well as European Parliament elections and a new European Commission on the horizon in 2024 – we feel it was time for a recap and a look ahead.
Why car electrification cannot be ignored
In 2023, almost 12 million new cars will be registered in the EU, partially adding to the 250+ million passenger cars already roaming EU roads. While we need to reduce this number, these figures highlight many consumers still depend on a car for their daily needs. For environmental and financial reasons, these people should have the cleanest cars at their disposal at the most affordable price.
As underlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in March, electric vehicles “ powered by low-GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions electricity have large potential to reduce land-based transport GHG emissions, on a life cycle basis.” After extensive research, BEUC found that electric cars will benefit drivers’ wallets and the environment in comparison to internal combustion engine cars.
Especially second- and third-hand owners who drive longer distances stand to profit from going electric. They bear less of the car’s depreciation and benefit from low maintenance and running costs. For this to work you of course need a sizable second-hand car market, which policymakers can help create by for example stimulating the electrification of corporate car fleets as soon as possible.
This electrification of car fleets is essential in any scenario. It neither contradicts nor negates the need to look for other mobility solutions. BEUC is urging EU policymakers to pursue those other mobility solutions, solutions that could very well reduce the number of cars on the road.
Waiting for EU ‘multimodal’ travel rules
One solution, a piece of legislation, we had hoped for in 2023 is the so-called ‘Multimodal Digital Mobility Services initiative’. A very complicated term that essentially means there would be EU rules that require transport companies and online platforms to interoperate, facilitate booking, and bring greater clarity to consumers about their rights for journeys that involve multiple operators or types of transport. This should result in a travel system where it’s easier for consumers to combine different operators or types of transport on a single ticket.
Provided such EU rules are developed with the consumer experience in mind – and that crucially must include passenger rights for multimodal trips – this would help boost rail travel in Europe. Alas, a proposal for the rules has not seen the light of day and the latest gossip suggests it is unlikely to until the mandate of the current European Commission expires in 2024.
Advice for the 2024-2029 EU: complement automotive with rail policy
Time to turn to the future then.
Realistically, the automotive sector – being one that is more easily regulated at a single market level – will remain on the agenda. Here, the focus should be to incentivise the supply of smaller, affordable, and efficient electric cars. Drivers should also get useful information at the point of sale, whether that’s offline or online, about a car’s electricity (or fuel) consumption through an EU-wide harmonised car label.
But many people don’t need, want, or simply can’t afford a car. With trains being a good alternative, and beyond the multimodal travel rules already discussed, we call for a fully-fledged EU masterplan that should facilitate easier train journeys within and between countries.
BEUC is currently working on consumer-related recommendations for such a masterplan, which we will publish in 2024. This should in any case look at infrastructure, the affordability of train tickets, night trains, passenger rights, but also exchanging best practices between countries, and the very set up of how rail is regulated in the EU.
Together with measures at the local level to promote public transport, cycling and walking, we hope this will make the green mobility choice the easy choice for all consumers.