The methods by which drivers can be persuaded to buy and use electric cars can be different. In Europe, we see quite blunt and unconcealed efforts of the European Union, leading as a result to almost non-compliant with the EURO 7 standard, as well as the definitive ban on the sale of internal combustion engines from 2035. Don’t like it? You are out of luck. In truth and privately, I think that this EU approach will one day enter the textbooks. And not exactly in a positive way. Of course, they don’t “get away with it” elsewhere either. Let’s look at other consumption fines together.
Reduce consumption to an unrealistic value or pay fines
As the Automotive News magazine reports, the proposal of the administration of President Joe Biden to increase fines for exceeding low fuel consumption by 2032 would cost the General Motors concern 6.5 billion dollars in fines, the Stellantis group would then pay $3 billion in the same fines, says the letter from the industry group, which was cited by Reuters, among others. Automakers would transfer these fines to the prices of their cars, so all drivers and owners would pay them as a result. What is it really about?
The point is that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in July proposed a reduction in fuel consumption of 2 percent per year for passenger cars and 4 percent per year for pickup trucks and crossovers. Annually. Which, if you calculate it and compare it with the average consumption of American cars, you will run out, that it is essentially unfulfillable. In other words, we are ordering you to do something that we know very well cannot be done. But if you don’t comply, expect fines. And they really won’t be small.
Don’t like it? You can make EVs and everything will be fine
That’s why the automakers have already sent a letter to the federal Department of Energy (DOE) asking it to reconsider its plan to revise the “oil equivalence factor.” Or it will lead to “disproportionately higher” in the final compliance costs’ for US auto manufacturers. Translated into understandable language: if you want what you want from us, we will be forced to significantly increase the price. The ministry’s response is as adorable as it is arrogant: make electric cars and everything will be fine.
Of course, not so directly, however, for example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did not immediately comment on the letter and the request of the car companies, but previously stated that estimate cited by automakers is “in line with our legal obligations” and added that car manufacturers “can produce and sell electric vehicles to comply with the requirements and thus avoid sanctions entirely”. I see. So we should. Doesn’t that remind you of something? So yes to me.
Inspiration from America or Europe? Drivers will pay, then and there
A clear question arises: did America copy from Europe, or Europe from America? But doesn’t it matter in the end? In short, we are witnessing (almost live) how you are on one side of the ocean The European Union will write the EURO 7 standard and prefer to secure it with a ban combustion engines after 2035, and on the other hand, the Biden administration is dictating an unrealistic reduction in consumption so that it is basically impossible to meet and manufacturers prefer to give up straight away. And they switched to electric cars, regardless of whether their customers wanted them or not.
andPhoto source: Depositphotos
A group representing nearly all major automakers said last week that the auto industry as a whole could face a $14 billion fine for failing to comply. These are not negligible money even for America, and if it should come to their payment, something tells me that car companies won’t voluntarily “pull” it out of their margins. In other words, the customer will pay for it in the end. Or drivers. Who come to it completely “like the blind to a violin”. All they wanted was to drive a car for the money they could afford. Apparently bad reasoning.
Arrogance and blackmail as a means to advance one’s interests
And of course, all manufacturers already have “practice” in dealing with fines from the government’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) consumption monitoring agency. Already in June, the agency Reuters first reported that Stellantis and GM paid a total of $363 million in CAFE fines for failing to meet US fuel consumption requirements in previous model years. And now it could basically continue, however, nicely paraphrased in Czech, “that amount doesn’t agree either”. It will be several zeroes larger.
How do you see it? They are like this according to you blunt extortion of manufacturers and brutal efforts to make a hard transition OK with electromobility? Let us know in the discussion below the article, thank you!
