Auto industry fears production stop due to Euro 7
AFor once, two political opponents in the Berlin governing coalition are in agreement: while Volker Wissing, the Federal Minister of Transport coming from the FDP, is usually accused of being close to the positions of the car industry, the Green Federal Minister for the Environment is now also saying so Steffi Lemke With her criticism of the EU plans for a Euro 7 emissions standard, she understands the concerns of the car manufacturers: “We are particularly critical of the extremely short introduction periods planned by the EU Commission,” said Lemke in an interview with the “Stuttgarter Zeitung “.
The Association of the German Auto Industry VDA also spread alarm on Thursday with a statement on the plans of the EU Commission for the future Euro 7 standard. In principle, the car industry is resolutely behind the goal of improving air quality and health in cities, and the Euro standards are “a fundamentally effective instrument” for this. However, the EU Commission’s schedule is already causing a stir because, according to the VDA, it contains “unrealistic time horizons”. The European legislative process will last at least until the end of 2023, when the administration regularly uses a year for the implementation regulations.
The car manufacturers then had a good six months to develop the emission control systems that were tailored to the rules. Normally, this takes three years, including an initial test cycle over summer and winter, followed by improvements and new series of tests. In addition, the EU Commission expects that from July 2025 not only new models, but all models in production will be immediately equipped according to the new standard and also homologated with a new type approval. In the certification facilities, bottlenecks are foreseeable and production stops for individual models are possible, according to people in the environment car industry.
German environmental aid criticizes Lemke
Involved in many lawsuits against car manufacturers German environmental aid doesn’t mind the concerns. “We do not consider postponing the implementation date of Euro 7,” says managing director Jürgen Resch to the FAZ. “The technical possibilities for comprehensive exhaust gas cleaning have all been fully developed and must finally be used for all diesel vehicles sold in Europe.” does not get off scot-free in the statements of the DUH managing director: “Environment Minister Lemke is responsible for air pollution control in the federal cabinet,” says Resch. “I expect her to do something to clean the air and that the strict Euro 7 emission standards will come into force as soon as possible. This is the only way to achieve the halving of the limit values for fine dust and nitrogen oxide in the air we breathe in our cities, as required by the EU.”
Another point of contention is the test conditions for cars according to the Euro 7 standard. From the perspective of the car industry, the most significant change between the previous Euro 6 standard and the draft Euro 7 are circumstances that are only indirectly mentioned. So far, precise conditions for environmental temperature, loads from full throttle, loading or use in the mountains were prescribed for exhaust gas tests. Instead of these previous “test boundary conditions”, the Commission’s draft for the test conditions now simply says “all”. A full-throttle start in temperatures below zero or full-throttle use on a climb in the mountains in extreme summer temperatures is also important.
The auto industry says such conditions lead to higher prices and buyer reluctance to use new technology. It makes more sense to leave the test conditions constant and to lower the limit values for common everyday situations compared to the Commission proposal. Jürgen Resch replies that nitrogen emissions are particularly high in modern diesel engines when the cleaning system is switched off. “Every new car must have a fully functioning emission control system and comply with the limit values in all operating states, especially at full throttle. This also applies to driving uphill, driving with a trailer and when accelerating hard.” That only costs a few hundred euros per car, says Resch. “Where we can, we will also test the boundary conditions.”
