The EU, after a very long legislative process and months of negotiations, finally agreed last week on one of the pillars of the Fit for 55. The obligation to reduce CO2 emissions to zero by that date is thus reaffirmed, instead of moving it to 2040, as some governments, including the Italian one, were inclined to demand. In fact, this is a revolution: starting in 2035, no more new cars and vans can be sold that use internal combustion, i.e. petrol or diesel.
The text provides for intermediate stages: by 2030 manufacturers will have to reduce the emissions of new cars placed on the market by 55 per cent and those of new commercial vehicles by 50 per cent. While small manufacturers who produce between 1,000 and 10,000 new cars or between 1,000 and 22,000 new vans in a calendar year see the confirmation of the waiver granted back in the summer and will be able to continue to produce conventional cars until 2035. The deal also includes a review clause that will ensure that in 2026 the Commission will carefully evaluate the progress made towards the 100 per cent emission reduction targets and the possibility of revising them taking into account technological developments, including hybrid technologies
The EU’s hope is that the decision, after the announcements made during the course of the year, will not displace the automotive brands that will now be touched in the next decade to produce cars that will go out of production in 2035, and at the same time continue the work of research and technological maximisation in order to be able to launch a zero-emission version of the cars on the market as soon as possible. In this regard, regulatory incentive mechanisms for green vehicles are planned and encouraged until 2030.
There is no turning back on this decision. With this European agreement, therefore, it is essential to accelerate in the technological field so as not to leave the big Chinese, Indian, Korean and even US companies (further ahead than us in this field) a monopoly of the market. At Viasat, we believe that sustainability in mobility must necessarily be accompanied by advanced innovation. In this regard, more and more customers of hybrid or electric cars are guaranteed, through new and increasingly high-performance devices, 24-hour protection and assistance services in case of need. The solutions that Viasat provides aim to contribute to the green revolution with the ambition of leaving future generations a better and safer planet than the one we have been entrusted with.