Cars, Brussels plans incentives for electric mini-cars

After weeks of postponements, cross-pressures and highly tense political negotiations, the European Commission is expected to present the automotive package on Tuesday 16 December with a possible significant departure from the original Green Deal. At the heart of the dossier is the revision of the regulation on CO₂ emissions from cars, with the expectation that the 100 per cent reduction target for 2035 will be abandoned and instead a 90 per cent target will be set, effectively reopening the door to the combustion engine even after that date.

The proposal changes the structure of the rules which, without formally banning it, made it de facto impossible to sell petrol and diesel cars from 2035, because the emission limits for fleets were only compatible with zero-emission vehicles. The new approach should instead focus on technology neutrality, advocated by Italy and Germany, leaving manufacturers to choose solutions to reduce CO₂. "All technologies will remain on the market," anticipated EPP group leader Manfred Weber in recent days, explaining that a 90 per cent reduction in emissions is still "very ambitious" but allows for a more sustainable transition for industry.

However, the European Commission would like to introduce "an incentive mechanism" in the form of a 'super-credit' to enable vehicle manufacturers to "overestimate the contribution" of mini electric cars to the overall CO2 emissions target of their fleet. The measure is designed to 'strongly incentivise' manufacturers to produce and market higher volumes of small electric vehicles.