Small businesses push for higher fuel efficiency standards

Vans are included in light commercial vehicles, Creative Commons: Colin Campbell, 2009

Three European small business associations have banded together to call for tighter standards on carbon dioxide emissions from light commercial vehicles.  Based on new analyses reporting that the costs of compliance were greatly overestimated in the past, these small businesses believe that the European Parliament now needs to raise its fuel efficiency targets.

The letter, signed by the European Small Business Alliance, Athlon car lease, and EuroCommerce, says: “On the basis of the latest scientific evidence, and given the potential benefits for both economy and environment, we therefore call on the European Parliament to set a more ambitious 2020 target of 118 g/km.”

The standard in the EU’s current proposed legislation was adopted on the basis of assumptions in 2010 that average CO₂ emissions for vans were 200 g/km – and that reducing them would be highly expensive, costing €2,000-€3,000 per van.

But a study by the Dutch TNO consultancy last year for the European Commission, estimated compliance costs much lower – at around €500 per van – and that the 2010 emissions figures was overestimated by almost 20 g/km.

Read more: Euractiv>>