The final proposal for the Euro 7 emission regulations promoted by the European Union has suffered a new delay. Manufacturers show their concern about the consequences of continuing to postpone the regulations that will determine the most immediate future of the automotive industry.
Car manufacturers present in Europe are showing their concern at the new delay suffered by the final proposal for emissions regulations that, without a doubt, will mark the most immediate future of the automotive industry in the Old Continent. A changing schedule now fixes the final proposal of the Euro 7 emission regulations for next July.
The Euro 7 standard will replace the current Euro 6 standard which has been in force since 2014. And although it will most likely not come into force before 2025, manufacturers and major players in the European automotive industry have repeatedly stressed the importance of having a clear roadmap in the short and medium term as it is vital to establish a transition process.
The Euro 7 emission standard beyond 2025
The European Union emission standards limit tailpipe emissions of pollutants such as fine particulates, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide from cars and trucks with internal combustion engines. As regulations are increasingly restrictive, manufacturers are being forced to accelerate their electrification process and, ultimately, to incorporate new hybrid, plug-in hybrid and/or 100% electric vehicles into their offer.
In recent times we have witnessed how renowned manufacturers have decided to put aside internal combustion engines and give priority to fully electric mobility. For example, it was recently announced that Nissan will stop developing new internal combustion engines for Europe. A decision that has to do with the expected costs to comply with the Euro 7 standard.
The Euro 7 standard was first proposed at the end of 2020. The German industry group VDA and other automakers said the proposed new emissions limits would ultimately lead to a ban on internal combustion engines. The VDA softened its stance in April last year after the Advisory Group on Vehicle Emissions Standards (AGVES) submitted a revised version.
Waiting for the final proposal of the Euro 7 standard
The final adoption of the proposed rules by the European Commission was first set for the fourth quarter of 2021. Something that logically did not happen since it was moved to April 5, 2022. And now, it has been decided to postpone it until the next July. A spokesman for the European Commission told a specialized media that the Euro 7 standard will seek to regulate the emissions of passenger cars and commercial vehicles at the same time.
Last January, the ACEA, an organization that represents European car manufacturers, said that they expected lawmakers to reach an agreement this year to allow “industry clarity and the necessary lead time for future engineering changes. and planning. ACEA itself previously argued that a possible date for the implementation of the Euro 7 regulation is September 1, 2025giving manufacturers four years to prepare.