PRESS RELEASE  - 11.05.2022

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted on proposed new targets to reduce CO2 emission from cars. Such targets are crucial to bring the climate and financial benefits of electric cars to Europeans. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) now urges all Members of Parliament to add a specific reduction target for the year 2027 at Parliament’s plenary vote, in order to fast-track these expected benefits.

Monique Goyens, Director General at BEUC, commented:

“Electric driving can drastically reduce driving costs, which is even more important in times of stratospheric fuel costs. Especially second- and third-hand owners can save money by going electric, as they bear less of the car’s depreciation and benefit from low maintenance and running costs. The faster these cars arrive on the second-hand market, the faster consumers will save money. Targets to reduce CO2 emissions stimulate the automotive industry to bring electric cars to showrooms, creating this much-needed second-hand market.”

As research by the BEUC network shows, electric cars are already the cheapest option for many consumers when looking at the total cost of ownership. The CO2 reduction target dates suggested by the Environment Committee should therefore be complemented by a 2027 target, in order to give car makers continuous incentives to bring electric cars to market.

Background: CO2 emissions targets versus the year 2021 as baseline

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Beyond cleaner car rules, the EU and its Member States can take many more actions to help consumers break out of fossil-fuelled mobility.