9 Carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty
vehicles
| Committee's assessment
| Politically important
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| Committee's decision
| Cleared from scrutiny
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| Document details
| Commission Communication on reducing fuel consumption and emissions of carbon dioxide from heavy-duty vehicles
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| Legal base
| — |
| Department
| Transport
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Summary and Committee's conclusions
9.1 Although the Commission has noted
that the European automotive industry is a world leader in developing
clean and energy efficient technologies, it says that transport
nevertheless contributes significantly to air pollution and related
health problems. It therefore put forward in April 2010 a strategy
for encouraging the development and uptake of clean and energy
efficient vehicles, which also included a specific undertaking
to propose measures targeting fuel consumption and carbon dioxide
emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, which are currently not covered
by EU emissions legislation. This document has now been produced
in response to that commitment, and notes that, although the EU
has already taken action to address the main drivers of carbon
dioxide emissions from such vehicles, further action is needed
to measure and monitor these. In order to do this, it proposes
a two stage approach involving the development of a computer-based
simulation tool to measure whole vehicle emissions, followed by
legislation in 2015 in order to give practical effect to such
an approach. It also suggests that, once these short term actions
have been implemented, medium term policy options could be proposed,
including the setting of mandatory carbon dioxide emission limits
for newly registered heavy-duty vehicles.
9.2 This is the latest in a series
of Commission Communications addressing the issue of emissions
from vehicles, and it fulfils an undertaking in a strategy document
produced in 2010, as well as responding to the need highlighted
in the Commission's 2011 Transport White Paper for further action
to be taken if emissions of carbon dioxide from the sector are
to be reduced to the extent required by 2050. Having said that,
the document does not itself contain any regulatory proposals,
and the approach it advocates is consistent with UK thinking.
Consequently, although we are drawing it to the attention of the
House, we do not think it requires any further consideration,
and we are accordingly clearing it.
Full details of the
documents: Commission Communication:
Strategy for reducing heavy-duty vehicles' fuel consumption and
carbon dioxide emissions: (36051), 10201/14, + ADDs 1-2, COM(14)
285.
Background
9.3 Although the Commission has noted
that the European automotive industry is a world leader in developing
clean and energy efficient technologies, it says that transport
is nevertheless responsible for about one-quarter of EU emissions
of carbon dioxide and contributes significantly to air pollution
and related health problems. It therefore put forward in April
2010 a strategy[31] for
encouraging the development and uptake of clean and energy efficient
vehicles, which it saw as a vital part of the Europe 2020 flagship
initiative Resource efficient Europe, and as building upon
both the European green cars initiative which was launched as
part of the European Economic Recovery Plan in November 2008,
and the existing 2007 strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions
from passenger cars and light-duty commercial vehicles.
The current document
9.4 The 2010 strategy also included
a specific undertaking to propose measures targeting fuel consumption
and carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, which are
not currently covered by EU emissions legislation. This document
has now been produced in response to that commitment, and notes
that, in the meantime, the Transport White Paper[32]
in 2011 indicated that the transport sector should reduce its
1990 level of carbon dioxide emissions by around 60% by 2050,
and that the goal proposed in the 2030 climate policy objectives
envisages an emissions reduction in that year of around 20% compared
with 2008. It goes on to note that heavy duty vehicles account
for about one-quarter of road transport emissions, that, as a
result of increasing EU freight volumes, these have been rising
in a way which is unsustainable, and that they need to be curbed
if the targets in the White Paper are to be met.
9.5 At the same time, the Commission
suggests that, although significant savings in fuel consumption
and emissions can be achieved through technical improvement, carbon
dioxide emissions from heavy duty vehicles are neither measured
nor reported. As a result, it says that there is a resulting knowledge
gap, which reduces transparency, hampers the entry of energy efficient
vehicles onto the market, and thus needs to be addressed if the
competitiveness of EU heavy duty vehicle manufacturing is to be
maintained, given that other countries — notably Japan,
the United States and Canada — have already taken action
of this kind.
9.6 The Commission also goes on to note
that the main drivers of carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption
from heavy duty vehicles are transport demand generated by economic
activity, the split between road, rail, air and waterborne transport,
the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels, vehicle energy efficiency,
and the operation of heavy duty vehicle fleets. It observes that
the EU has already taken action directly or indirectly to address
many of these drivers, with a number of further initiatives being
prepared in the light of the Transport White Paper, including
a further shift to low carbon transport modes, as well as actions
to influence the operation of freight transport in a way which
reduces energy consumption. However, it proposes that further
action should be taken in order to a measure and monitor heavy
duty vehicle fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, and
that this should be in two stages.
9.7 First, the Commission says that,
due to the diversity of heavy-duty models and the tasks they carry
out, it is not appropriate to carry out carbon dioxide testing
in the same way as for cars and vans. It therefore intends to
measure whole vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by developing
a simulation tool ('VECTO'), which has been designed for this
purpose, taking into account individual vehicle attributes (such
as emissions due to the vehicles engine and transmission, aerodynamic
performance, tyre rolling resistance and ancillary equipment).
The Commission expects this tool to be the first industry-wide
methodology to estimate whole heavy-duty vehicle emissions of
carbon dioxide, noting that its Joint Research Institute published
in April 2013 a 'Proof of Concept', which concluded that simulation
of carbon dioxide emission provided estimates sufficiently close
to real-world values, and considered reliable enough, for regulatory
application (though it says that further adjustments are required
to progressively extend it to all categories of heavy-duty vehicles).
9.8 The second stage will involve the
introduction of the legislation needed to measure, certify and
report carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, which
the Commission plans to bring forward in 2015. In particular,
the Commission says that the certification of fuel consumption
and carbon dioxide emissions from such vehicles will require the
adaption of current type approval legislation so as to allow the
inclusion of the VECTO methodology, thus allowing carbon dioxide
emissions to be certified by national Type Approval Authorities.
It adds that, as with new cars and vans, this information would
be made available for all newly registered heavy-duty vehicles,
thereby facilitating its monitoring and dissemination. It also
suggests that, whilst certification, reporting and improved consumer
information are unlikely in themselves to significantly curb emissions,
they are expected to enhance transparency on vehicle efficiency
in the market and improve competition.
9.9 The Commission says that, once these
short term actions are implemented, and based on the findings
of further analytical work which will seek to confirm technological
potential and gain a broader understanding of market barriers
that hinder uptake — including an assessment of costs and
benefits of carbon dioxide abatement, and the underlying incentive
structure for more energy efficient heavy duty vehicles —
it believes that medium term policy options could be proposed,
including the setting of mandatory carbon dioxide emissions limits
for newly registered vehicles.
The Government's view
9.10 In her Explanatory Memorandum of
11 June 2014, the Minister of State for Transport (Baroness Kramer)
says that there are no immediate policy implications arising from
this document as it does not contain regulatory proposals. However,
she shares the Commission's concerns over the increasing demands
for road freight transport, and believes that strong action will
be necessary if emissions from larger vehicles are to be reduced
and wider climate change objectives are to be met.
9.11 She goes on to observe that, unlike
cars and vans, heavy-duty vehicles are not within the scope of
current European emissions legislation on carbon dioxide, and
that it is likely that some form of EU framework for these vehicles
could deliver benefits to the UK similar to those seen with cars
and vans. She also points out that the short-term measures identified
for the measurement, certification and reporting of carbon dioxide
emissions from heavy-duty vehicles are primarily aimed at vehicle
manufacturers: they are thus unlikely to result in increased burden
on road freight hauliers, who should benefit insofar as increased
transparency of emissions data may help them to make more informed
vehicle purchasing decisions, and ultimately lead to lower fuel
consumption and fuel costs. In addition, it may also help to maintain
consistency of approach across Europe in tackling emissions from
heavy duty vehicles, which is important for those hauliers working
with exporting industries.
9.12 The Minister concludes by saying
that, although the Government recognises the Commission's efforts
towards the development of a suitable methodology for measuring
carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, and will continue
to support international efforts to develop the VECTO simulation
tool and the accompanying certification procedure, swift progress
should not come at the detriment or expense of providing a solid
and robust methodology which accurately reports emissions and
has the trust and confidence of those using it. The UK will therefore
continue to work with the Commission, industry and academia to
ensure that the tool is robust, fit for purpose and correlates
to real world emissions. Also, whilst it wants to avoid regulation
wherever possible, it accepts that it will be difficult for industry
to deliver the carbon dioxide reductions needed to meet future
targets without coordinated action, and it sees potential in the
use of policies such as consumer labelling or the reporting and
monitoring of whole vehicle emissions, if these measures are found
to be cost beneficial.
Previous Committee Reports
None.
31 (31520) 9006/10: see First Report HC 428-i (2010-11),
chapter 26 (8 September 2010). Back
32
(32639) 8333/11: see Twenty-eighth Report HC 428-xxvi (2010-12),
chapter 3 (11 May 2011). Back
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