http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png http://jalopnik.com/tag/eu http://jalopnik.com/tag/eu The European Union's transport chief wants to ban diesel or gas-burning vehicles in cities by 2050, mainly through higher taxes and new rules. Maybe now's the time to start broadening those U.S. import rules... More »
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Only two companies achieved the voluntary average CO2 target of 140 g/km that European automakers set for themselves in the late 1990's to avoid actual government sanctions. Fiat and Mini were the big winners with emissions of 138.2 and 139.6 g/km, respectively. The worst offenders were Porsche (275.6 g/km), Land Rover (249.2 g/km) and Jeep (218.7 g/km). More »
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The European Commission announced their energy bill today, which will require carmakers to reduce the CO2 emissions of new automobiles by approximately 20% to 120 grams per kilometer (30 fingers per ounce, we think) by 2012. Within the EU cars account for 12% of all carbon emissions. On one side, environmental groups are upset that the new plan abandons an old plan to cut emissions by 25%. On the other side, makers of larger cars, cars with smaller volumes and larger cars with smaller volumes may seek concessions or exemptions. More »
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Europe is heating up over vehicle emissions (someone tell the Archduke of Austria to hide), and it's France on the offensive this time. A report recently came out detailing that while most European car companies were reducing emissions, German car emissions actually rose by 1.9%. Germany wants different limits for the heavier luxury cars it produces, compared to the smaller models produced in Italy, Spain, France and other countries. More »
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Britain's Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly is none-to-pleased with the EU's plans for a 125g/km carbon dioxide limit for all new cars from 2015. Porque? According to Kelly, the onus it puts on car manufacturers that sell only a few high emission cars (Aston Martin/Bentley) is unfair. It may not be a problem for the Seats and Citroens of this world, but Britain still has a few small marques. This isn't America, so she's not asking for all emission standards to be thrown out of the window. She merely wants a target date to be 2020 or 2025 so that smaller manufacturers can prepare for the stricter standards. And by prepare, one can only hope that she means an Aston Martin Hybrid Estate, Bentley Continental Hatch or other brand dilution that results in a cheaper ride.[What Car] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=318134&view=rss&microfeed=true EU emissions regulations uncertainty is potentially hampering the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover. [Forbes] More »
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In response to similar moves from the European Union, the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry are joining together with basically every Japanese automaker and major supplier — including Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Denso — to create a unified automotive OS for all automakers from the island nation. They're doing it with the claimed aim of "creating a global standard in the field." But we know once it leaves prototype mode in 2009, the Japanese takeover of the automotive world will be complete — and all your cars brains are belong to the land of the rising sun. Look on the bright side — at least it won't be German. [via The Raw Feed] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=284003&view=rss&microfeed=true European Union looks to investigate Vauxhall funding by the British government. What, they've never heard of propping up national manufacturing before? [Autocar.co.uk] More »
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We found an interesting article on the confusion EU fuel retailers face as different members of the Eurofederacy pursue varying solutions to the petroleum problem. Chris Davies, the Minister of European Parliament who royally pissed us off a couple posts back by suggesting that performance cars should be banned also makes a point we find rather sound and valid: "Cars designed to go at stupid speeds have to be built to withstand the effects of a crash at those speeds. They are heavier than necessary, less fuel-efficient and produce too many emissions." More »
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Sweet George Washington. Looks like the green-toothed, cheese-eating surrender monkeys are saddling up to the hoon-hating Pope. Sorry to revert to silly stereotypes, but this is just lousy. European leaders are in talks with each other discussing the possibility of banning high-powered sports cars on the Continent (and in Great Britain). Why? Global warming. The metric they are working with is that any car capable of going 25% faster than the Euro-norm of 130 kph (about 80 mph) is producing too much CO2. That means that under the proposal, any car that can travel 100 mph will be banned come 2013. Casting aside our hard-won journalistic integrity for a moment, this legislation is so impossibly stupid our head hurts. We once got our old 1.8-liter Sentra shitbox up to 120 mph in Arizona. Luckily, even if this does become law, none of this nonsense will have any legal teeth in Germany (because Germans are awesome), and as Germans make up a large number of the EU members with votes (99 out of 785) hopefully they can beat talk some sense into their insane stuffy friends. Or at least vote early and often. For the record, Jalopnik votes no. – Jonny Lieberman More »
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Angela Merkel just applied a blast furnace to the cockles of our speed-freak hearts by standing up to the EU and asserting that unrestricted autobahn speeds aren't negotiable. The key to the development of the most Brucetastic vehicles in the world, the highways are a wonder of order and precision, at least when compared to the 405. The German chancellor stared down EU Environmental Commissioner Stavros Dimas when he asserted that Germany isn't doing enough to be green. Funny, because when we studied in Germany a decade ago, it was a helluva lot greener than the US is now. Plus, gas prices and the cost and rigorous nature of driver training in Germany, as well as serious TUV inspections, combined with impeccably-maintained roadways make travel by car in the nation, from our anecdotal experience, some of the safest and cleanest in the world. More »
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According to a survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 90% of Blighty motorists want cars that cause less in the way of blight, and the European Commission is fast-tracking an initiative to make that happen. The new Low Carbon Car Fund will offer motorists between three-hundred and a thousand quid if their cars emit less than 115 grams per kilogram of carbon dioxide. Green-leaning po' folks are stoked. More »
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Owners of older cars in Sofia, Bulgaria are playing havoc with the city's traffic as they line up for new EU-approved license plates, in some cases waiting in lines four hours long and creating hazardous traffic conditions. Brilliantly, in a city of nearly 1.4 million people, authorities have set up one station where the plates can be obtained and then cut the deadline back by 9 months. The communist system may have fallen apart, but y'know, bureaucrats always learn to adapt. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=161063&view=rss&microfeed=true The Brits are amending their Road Safety Bill to include a provision for law-enforcement officers to clamp foreign-registered vehicles that muff the rules. Inspired by falsified names/addresses by cross-Europe truckers, the po-po will now be able to clamp vehicles from other nation-states if the drivers are unable to pay the fine. By the way, can we mention that we've always thought that "lorry" was a stupid word for a great big freakin' truck? That's like calling Robin Tunney "Gustav" or something. More »
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The EU ain't all that happy with Greece these days. It seems that they're seizing cars of visitors and leveling some some seriously preposterous fines. In short, seems to us (and bear in mind our grasp of Greece's place in the geopolitical spectrum dates back to roughly 'round the time Socrates quaffed the hemlock), that Greece wants all of the benefits of EU-ness, while being able to go its own way. And the whole thing brings to mind the punch line of the old off-color joke about the girl who marries the Greek man: "But mom! What if I wanna have babies?" [Thanks to Conor for the tip.] More »
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Following the Landwind fiasco, another Chinese automaker is taking heat for making an end run around EU safety regs. Great Wall Automobile plans to launch the Hover SUV and Deer 4x4, both phenomenally-named vehicles that Great Wall is hoping will hover and bound their way to 12,000 sales a year, primarily in Spain and Italy at first. However, the vehicles are being imported on a license for commercial vehicles, thus conveniently exempting them from crash tests. We think it can go without saying that the Benelux Badasses of Brussels aren't havin' any o' this nonsense. More »
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European vehicle manufacturers aren't thrilled with Chinese decrees that foreign automakers must engage in joint ventures with domestic companies. They feel (and rightly so), that the playing field is set for an uphill run to the goal for their products, as well as their long-term business plans. So much so, in fact, that they're threatening to go to the World Trade Organization with their grievances if the Chinese don't offer some redress to their complaints. And although the Chinese are eager to become an automotive powerhouse, somehow we don't see them backing down. What say ye, oh mighty WTO? What say ye? More »
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Despite rumors to the contrary, Lewis Booth main Lewis Booth and generally guy in charge of FoMoCo's Euro endeavors says that Jaguar is mos def not on the block, despite impending staff cuts. He also said that the automaker's Old Word unit is on track to post a profit of $100-200 million bucks. All's rosy in Ford-land. Go about your business. Especially you, you male-belly-dancin' Beth Chayim Chadashim types. [Thanks to Punkey for the tip.] More »
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The EU's mental muscles hooked up in Brussels for a sit-down on the question of daytime headlight operation and came out convinced that it should be mandatory across the European Union within a couple of years. When they were done, the went out for a few glasses of Chimay, ate tall waffles, consumed some small-cabbage-esque items, engaged in a paintball re-enactment of the Battle of the Bulge and enjoyed a private screening of "Hard Target." More »
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Swedish officials are asking for an exemption from an EU mandate that no member nation can require safety features on vehicles that the others haven't agreed to. In Sverige's case, it's the installation of alcohol locks on all cars and trucks sold in the country; the Scandinavian nation is pushing for all vehicles to come standard with the devices by 2012. Says Debra Ulrica Messing, Sweden's communications minister, Swedish experts believe that alcohol-related road accidents can be halved if all cars are fitted with an alcolock. We cannot afford to forgo this chance," while Swedish road safety director Claes Tingvall adds, We have seen with electronic stability control and seatbelt reminders that markets can be created. Creepy or good? Commenters, it's Fray time. More »
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PSA Peugeot Citro n got slapped with a fish by the European Commission in the form of a 45 million-euro fine for preventing people from benefitting from a common market. The company kept French customers from purchasing vehicles in the Netherlands between 1997 and 2003, where prices are up to 16% lower for the average vehicle. Peugeot said that it had taken notice of the EU's decision and quote, "Waves our collective private parts at their aunties." More »
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Currently, roughly 25% of a new car ends up in a landfill at the end of its useful life, while the rest is recycled or simply degrades to the point that it's no longer useful. The EU the folks who brought you the "Gr ne Punkte" have upped that figure by a mandatory 20%, requiring vehicles to be made of 95% reusable materials in ten years. The new Mercedes S Class already conforms to this standard, and while the new regulations have a sno-cone's chance in Dubai's chance of passing here especially under the current administration the very nature of the global automobile business ensures that we'll see more highly-recyclable vehicles in America as well. More »
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