IIt is, in old Europe, politically incorrect to criticize the electric car as Brussels’ determinism clears away the obstacles to thinking otherwise. Since Dieselgate, it is true, the manufacturers have become imperceptible and the thermal car is the subject of a “major replacement”, no argument in its favor even shaking the postures of European decision-makers. However, if voices are still raised here and there to try to make sense of things, the slightest reservation about this mode of propulsion that we want to impose at all costs has become politically inadmissible.
This may not be the case with this one explosive relationship developed by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI). This facility serves as an independent research center for the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). This brings together all European trade unions to have an organization able to speak with one voice with Brussels. Focusing on the laudable intention to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and the means to achieve it, the ETUI has created a cobblestone of about sixty pages entitled Heavier, faster and cheaper carssome of which border on indictment.
Initially focused only on greenhouse gases, Brussels had set itself the goal of reducing CO2 emissions.2 transport by 40% between 1990 and 2019. Failed, 1990 represents the starting point set at 100% and 2050 the final goal of 0%. In fact, instead of decreasing, the transport sector has increased its CO2 emissions2 32% over the past thirty years, with passenger cars accounting for 43% of the sector’s total emissions. Enough to tax the manufacturers with immobilism – even if more cars are on the road – but also to denounce their inevitable transition to the high-end with ever heavier and more powerful models.
The unsustainable goal of zero emissions
“This divergence is the main reason why the European automotive sector is now facing the most radical and potentially disruptive transformation in its history,” said Tommaso Pardi, author of the ETUI report. “Rapid and widespread electrification now appears as the only possible technological solution to reconcile this divergent path with the European Green Deal. This aims to reduce CO emissions by 55% for passenger cars.2 for new cars by 2030 (still compared to 1990), and a 100% reduction now brought forward to 2035. Unsustainable.
“In other words, in just over ten years, the internal combustion engine, which has been the heart of this industry for more than a century and which concentrates around 25% of added value and 40% of total employment in the market Europe’s automotive industry will be phased out,” Pardi notes. Worse still, this report underscores the central role played by the European regulatory framework on CO2 emissions.2, but also on vehicle type-approval and trade and competition policies within the single market. “This is pushing the industry towards heavier, more powerful and more expensive cars at a time when the imperative to reduce CO2 emissions2 it should have required cars that were lighter, less powerful, and more affordable. »
A premium car was therefore on average 328kg heavier than its equivalent size by a generalist. Between 2001 and 2015, underlines Tommaso Pardi, largely internal combustion engine cars increased on average by 10% in weight and 26% in engine power, two factors which, combined, naturally caused CO emissions to skyrocket .2 21%, all under EU leadership.
600 kilos more in ten years
This paradoxical drift is, according to the ETUI, at the origin of the Dieselgate deceptions and partly explains the accelerated electrification process today. Starting with existing models converted to electric and not originally designed for it, cars have inevitably continued to weigh, around 600 kilos in ten years for electric cars looking for a decent range. . But more weight also means more consumption of electricity that is not necessarily green, on the contrary, and a questionable environmental balance. And while we are openly concerned about the depletion of fossil resources, very little is said about it when it comes to the cobalt, nickel or lithium needed for battery production.
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The report highlights the distortion between this upward shift orchestrated by manufacturers and the accelerated electrification desired by Brussels. It is already clear that many Europeans will not be able to go electric in 2035, but, even if they are not very lucky, retaliatory measures will be taken against them through deterrent taxes. This obviously unless the interested parties express their opposition, which does not seem to have taken place in France, where the yellow vests will be the first interested parties. Forced-running electrification too fast “significantly reduces the expected environmental benefits, while significantly increasing the economic, social and political costs,” notes the ETUI. This opens up an avenue for Asian productions, which have already monopolized the stands of the last Paris Salon.
However, Europe is not giving up and next January will face diesels, which represent 95.8% of the truck fleet. They provide 80% of freight transport, but Brussels retains only 26% of road transport’s greenhouse gas emissions, even though they account for only 2% of vehicles on the road. Another time bomb is in the making.
