EU sets new standards for CO2 from vans

Canter TF


The European Parliament has voted to adopt a 175g/km short-term and 147g/km long-term CO2 target for light commercial vehicles. The rules have been agreed with EU member states and, if endorsed as expected by the Council of Ministers, will complement existing CO2 limits for cars. Each van maker will have its own European fleet average CO2 target, based on the weight of each new vehicle it registers in the EU over a year.

The short-term plan will be phased in gradually, with 70% of each manufacturers' LCV fleet required to emit no more than 175g/km of CO2 by 2014, 75% by 2015, 80% by 2016 and 100% by 2017. A longer-term target, for 2020, of 147g/km was also agreed, but is to be confirmed in 2013 after a progress review. Each new van sold over the agreed limits will be subject to a range of penalties rising to €95 per gram from 2019.

Manufacturers would be able to earn a discount of up to 7g/km by fitting their vehicles with certain innovative eco-technologies that reduce CO2, and this is due to be finalised by the end of 2012. They could also earn super-credits as an incentive for selling low-carbon LCVs (sub-50g/km), which will count as 3.5 vehicles towards the average in 2014-15, 2.5 in 2016 and 1.5 in 2017.