Dispute on “supercredits” for low-emission vehicles
-The EU is in the process to set automotive emissions targets for the period from 2015 to 2020. The EU objective is to decrease the average CO2 emission to 95 g/km.
-In order to incite carmakers to develop very low emission cars such as electric vehicles, the EU has created in 2008 “supercredits”. The principle is as follows. Each passenger vehicle emitting less than 50 g/km of CO2 will account for 3.5 vehicles in 2014 and in 1.5 in 2015 in the calculation process of the average (with a limit of 20 000 vehicles by carmaker). For a same collection of vehicles, the calculated CO2 emission average is lower when applying the “supercredits” rule than without applying it.
- The German automotive association (VDA) has stated that a still more efficient measure would be to replace the 1.3 factor planned for 2014 by a 2.5 factor, and increase the limit of 20 000 vehicles. This would give a higher value to their efforts to develop green cars.
-The European “Greens” do not share the point of view of VDA. They highlight that favouring such targets is a loophole for carmakers to escape the average 95 g/km set figure. Mathematically indeed, the real target which would be calculated without “supercredits” would be higher than the targeted 0.95 g/km.
-This dispute happens at a moment when German carmakers develop their offer of electric vehicles, but however at very small volume (conversely to France).
