The B2B platform for full-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Events News

At a one-day seminar in Europe’s capital Brussels, representatives from the European Commission poured cold water on the high hopes Spain’s recent announcement of an early Europe-wide EV strategy had created, presenting a rather pragmatic overview of programmes and funding opportunities for electric mobility. cars21.com reports.

The event on 18 February, organised by Automotive World Briefing (AWBriefing), brought together around 40 stakeholders from the electric vehicles industry, consultancies, and policy makers to explore progress made “Towards a comprehensive EU-wide Strategy”. However, the few interventions actually focusing on concrete steps taken at the EU political level to support the introduction of EVs draw a pragmatic rather than a progressive or visionary image of the present situation. Two officials representing the newly split European Commission Directorate-General for Transport “MOVE” hence outlined existing and potentially upcoming initiatives to support the research on and the introduction of electric vehicles in the coming years.

Reacting to the recent announcement of Spanish Industry Minister Sebastián that “the electric vehicle has been born today in Europe”, the European Commission officials took a neutral stance, saying that this announcement would not yet represent the interests of the EU-27 Member States as a whole. The next Competitive Council to be held in May would then decide if the European Commission (EC) would be tasked with more concrete steps to frame a policy intended to drive the development and adoption of electric vehicles. Until then the EC would take a technology-neutral stance as before.

Automakers call for EU platform on EVs

However, the event brought at least some concrete outcomes, where the European carmakers’ association ACEA urged EU legislators to support the founding of an EU-wide platform to collaborate on questions of electric mobility. ACEA’s presentation preceding the request once again highlighted the difficulties the European car industry encounters when entering the new old field of electric mobility. Among the key pillars mentioned for success, requests for policy support, standardisation, access to investment sources, R&D financial help, and for more market demand took a prominent place, leaving the question open where the automotive industry would see its own role in driving the agenda for EVs.

As expected, ACEA put on the brakes as regards EVs, with the internal combustion engine and conventional fuels remaining the dominant source of power in the coming decades. As a result, by 2020-25 it could be possible to achieve a market penetration of 3-10% - including BEVs, REVs, and PHEVs - in Europe, provided that a coordinated collaboration of all key players took place. The request for a high-level working group to bring together all relevant stakeholders was received by the EC officials with interest.