European C02 Standards Not So Scary After All
Toyota and Fiat may not be setting European sales charts alight, but according to a recent analysis of per-vehicle CO2 output, the two automakers are on the cusp of meeting the EU’s stringent 2015 standard. Automakers competing in Europe will have to reduce their carbon emissions to 130 gm/km by 2015, a huge challenge for firms like BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen, which currently have average emissions of 151, 167 and 153 grams per km respectively. Fiat and Toyota, on the other hand, have already reduced their emissions to 131 and 132 grams per km, putting them within a sneeze of the 2015 standard. But the auto industry never though that any of its firms would be on track for overcompliance. In fact, the AFP reports
In 2008 carmakers successfully pushed back from 2012 to 2015 the deadline for technological innovation, allowing them to meet stipulations, in exchange for a commitment to drop to 95 g/km by 2020.
Despite not insignificant loopholes, they can be heavily fined if they miss these targets as the EU strives to meet wider aims in reducing emissions of harmful gases blamed for negative climate change effects.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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Did anyone else notice the glaring omission in the article? French car manufacturers are all in the top 5 (PSA & Renault). Just because you cant buy them here in the US does not mean they do not deserve mention and credit here?
Sorry about the typo. I meant CO2. As for Antarctica's ice melting, check this out: http://www.iup.physik.uni-bremen.de:8084/amsr/ice_ext_s.png
Seems like global warming alarmism has died done quite a bit, perhaps following some classic downward slope like all historical hysterias. The reason it is important to point out CO2 is natural and essential for life is because off all the dire propaganda that has many people convinced CO2 is an outright poison. A portion of the public often over reacts to the crisis du jour and overloads on supplements or stops eating peanut butter, spinach, etc. due to shrill voices warning of eminent disaster and hidden dangers.
We have seen this movie over and over. Any time tighter regulations of automotive emissions or safety are proposed, the auto companies predict calamity. However, if and when the rules go into effect ... they meet them.