New EU laws, coming 2025, will prompt final evolution of the internal combustion engine, with huge implications.
European lawmakers are under pressure to water down strict all-encompassing emissions rules after EU countries agreed on a compromise.
Coming into force in 2025 as part of the much-criticised Euro 7 regulations, the new proposals, presented by Spain this week, were seen as a fair alteration to the European Commission’s initial pitch to tighten emissions limits for non-CO2 pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide (from brakes and tyres) and carbon monoxide.
Diplomatic sources have told Reuters that EU countries “largely agreed” on the compromise proposals.
It follows pushback by eight EU countries that have argued car makers are already under pressure to hit the continent’s 2035 electric car targets, with Euro 7 too costly with negligible environmental gains.
Car makers themselves have also pushed back against the upcoming rules. Renault chief Luca de Meo publicly said it will distract marques from going all-electric, while Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares argued it would send prices of smaller vehicles rocketing, no longer making them budget-friendly and impacting poorer drivers.