EU Talks Big About Being Green, But Won't Commit To EV Quotas

While certain member nations have discussed banning sales of new gasoline and diesel cars, the European Union is taking a more conservative approach to reducing emissions. The EU won't adopt electric-car sales quotas, a spokesperson recently confirmed to Reuters.

The statement came in response to a report by the German newspaper Handelsblatt, which cited EU sources saying the European Commission—the EU's governing body—planned to institute quotas beginning in 2025.

"Generally speaking, the Commission is looking into ways to promote use of low carbon energy and transport, but none of them includes quotas for electric cars," an EU spokesperson told Reuters. "We do not discriminate between different technologies."

Read Article

TheSteve - 8/10/2017 2:19:43 PM

+4 Boost

Committing to EV quotas without equal or higher EV demand is a dumb move.

MDarringer - 8/10/2017 3:53:46 PM

+2 Boost

Why should there be quotas? Mandated quotas on vehicles would only hurt the consumers.

TomM - 8/10/2017 4:08:11 PM

+4 Boost

Indeed - there should NOT be quotas - until EVs at least can be bought in a range of range of price that the average buyer can afford. The cars are simply TOO expensive for most buyers today - especially when you add in the need to set up a charging station.(And buy a single family house with a garage for you to put it in - living in a flat with on street parking is NOT going to work.)

TomM - 8/10/2017 6:53:52 PM

+4 Boost

Agent 009 - FYI - posting does not work for YOUR story about the Tesla Model Y

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/10/2017 9:21:00 PM

+1 Boost

While it may be seen as a policy that is ahead of where the market is, some jurisdictions are already mandating that OME's must have 2-3% of their sales as EV's annually. That number grows as it approaches 2025. That should be achievable going forward as many OEM's are preparing to launch new EV and BEV offerings.

MDarringer - 8/10/2017 10:33:52 PM

+1 Boost

Gotta love the fascist socialists.

TomM - 8/11/2017 1:37:32 AM

+4 Boost

Actually - there still remains a problem for EVs that has to be addressed

While EVs actually make sense in cities - they are also unsupported by the infrastructure. People in very large cities do not normally have a house with a garage - for charging. Putting a charger at the street in front of your house is not logical - since you do not OWN that parking space - it is public domain. So - a person living in an apartment and using on street parking has no ability to charge his car - making EVs USELESS. Until Parking garages offer charging - and charging can take place quickly after work - EVs don't have a real solution. Mandating sales won't help that problem. In addition - mandating sales MIGHT create a situation where the manufacturers have to offer their cars at below cost levels to get people to buy them - and that would hurt the one manufacturer that only produces EVs the most - I am sure he would object to such a situation as well.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/11/2017 11:12:04 PM

+2 Boost

While TomM does have a point, there are only so many "levers" a government can put into practice to help reach its goals (C02 reduction in this case). The article I read where I got this stat was about the government of Quebec. BMW Canada is quoted in the article and is ready and sees no problem hitting that mark, even as it moves upwards. Other OEM's are behind the 8 ball and may struggle until more product arrives. Rebates, access to HOV lanes, preferred parking, some public charging stations and now pushing OEM's to offer product. All being done to reach the same goal.