{"id":21539,"date":"2021-07-19T10:22:53","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T15:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=21539"},"modified":"2021-07-19T10:23:58","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T15:23:58","slug":"the-eu-just-moved-closer-to-all-zero-emission-cars-that-heightens-urgency-for-the-u-s-to-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2021\/07\/19\/the-eu-just-moved-closer-to-all-zero-emission-cars-that-heightens-urgency-for-the-u-s-to-act\/","title":{"rendered":"The EU just moved closer to all zero-emission cars. That heightens urgency for the U.S. to act"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Electric cars charging in Nice, France<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The European Union just released proposed legislation for passenger cars and vans that would move the continent closer to a zero-emission transportation future.<\/p>\n

The EU proposal would require a 55% reduction in carbon pollution for new cars and a 50% reduction for new vans by 2030 \u2013 and a 100% reduction for both in 2035. That would substantially strengthen standards that the EU adopted in 2019, and would ultimately eliminate harmful tailpipe pollution from new vehicles sold there.<\/p>\n

The proposal would save European drivers money on gas while dramatically cutting climate and air pollution from one of the world\u2019s largest fleets of passenger vehicles. It also has profound reverberations around the world \u2013 especially here in the U.S.<\/p>\n

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The EU proposal reinforces the need for protective climate and air pollution safeguards<\/strong><\/p>\n

The EU proposal reinforces the fact that protective climate and air pollution safeguards must include the elimination of tailpipe pollution from passenger vehicles by 2035 and ensure that at least half of new vehicles sold by 2030 are zero-emitting.<\/p>\n

The proposal is part of a growing number of similar actions in major vehicle markets around the world. The United Kingdom just announced its plan for eliminating pollution from new cars and vans by 2035. Canada also recently announced its goal of eliminating tailpipe pollution from new motor vehicles by 2035, accelerating its prior 2040 commitment.<\/p>\n

Here in the U.S., states are leading the way toward a clean transportation future. The California Air Resources Board<\/a> hosted a public workshop in May on the development of its Advanced Clean Cars II program. At that meeting, CARB announced that it intends to propose multipollutant standards that will ensure all new cars and light-duty trucks sold in California are zero-emitting vehicles by 2035, with a trajectory that would require 60% of new vehicles to be zero-emitting by 2030. Massachusetts has already indicated it will adopt these standards.<\/p>\n

EDF recently released a fact sheet<\/a> that lists these and other commitments from countries around the world.<\/p>\n

The EU proposal is also consistent with automakers\u2019 commitments to eliminate dangerous motor vehicle pollution. GM recently announced<\/a> its aspiration to eliminate tailpipe pollution from new light-duty vehicles by 2035. Ford has projected that 40% of its global sales and 100% of its European sales will be zero-emitting vehicles by 2030. Volkswagen just announced that it expects 50% of its global sales to be zero-emitting vehicles by 2030.<\/p>\n

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A huge opportunity for a clean transportation future<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Biden administration is expected to soon propose near-term standards for passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs through model year 2026. Alongside that proposal, the administration has a vital opportunity to articulate its long-term vision for eliminating pollution from passenger vehicles.<\/p>\n

EDF just joined 29 other health and environmental groups in sending President Biden a letter<\/a> urging him to direct EPA to establish strong, protective pollution standards. The letter calls for more than half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. to be zero-emitting by 2030 and all new vehicles to be zero-emitting by 2035.<\/p>\n

A bipartisan coalition of Governors has also called on President Biden<\/a> to accelerate deployment of zero-emission vehicles through strong standards that eliminate pollution from new passenger vehicles by 2035.<\/p>\n

Realizing this clean transportation vision would have enormous benefits for Americans\u2019 health and our pocketbooks, and of course for the climate:<\/p>\n