Europe’s EV car boom is at risk of stalling

Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) car boom is at risk of stalling, new data shows. 

EU clean car rules have driven plug-in vehicle sales to almost one-fifth of the market. 

However, Transport & Environment (T&E) has warned that weak targets between 2022 and 2030 will not require carmakers to deliver on their EV production plans. 

This could lead to an extra 55 million tonnes of CO2 production, the campaign group has warned. 

According to data, the EU’s 2025 target for carmakers is so weak it will be realised two years earlier. 

T&E said that without setting more ambitious carmaker targets from 2025 onwards it will be very hard for member states to reach their proposed national climate goals by 2030.

Alex Keynes, clean vehicles manager at T&E, said: ‘The electric vehicle boom has been driven by EU clean car rules but will falter unless lawmakers step in. Now is the time to set properly ambitious targets if we are to avoid a wasted decade in the race to decarbonise cars.

‘Carmakers are desperately advertising their green credentials, but behind all the bluff they’re exploiting every loophole to delay the switch to emissions-free cars. Politicians have the chance to end this hypocrisy, now that the EU is updating the climate targets for manufacturers.’

T&E has also warned that loopholes in the EU rules will also let carmakers get away with selling 840,000 fewer fully electric cars this year alone.

Carmakers get easier targets if they sell heavier vehicles, driving up sales of high-emitting SUVs and plug-in hybrids.