The European Commission unveiled on Wednesday a compromised approach to clean mobility under its Automotive Action Plan, but stakeholders are asking for more.

The dedicated plan seeks to address the future of the European automotive sector, currently at a “critical turning point,” challenged by rapid technological changes and increased competition. Officials in Brussels recognise European carmakers are “falling behind on key technologies,” and propose to reverse that with a double focus on batteries and autonomous driving. (See related stories)

Most of the “concrete actions” presented by the EC had already been unveiled by Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, when she announced plans to weaken the 2025 CO2 targets. Yet, certain measures remain vague, Kallanish notes.

“Our mutual aim is a sustainable, competitive, and innovative car industry in Europe that benefits our citizens, our economy, and our environment,” the EC president says.

ACEA, the European carmakers’ association, has recognised the “pragmatic turn” in the plan but cautioned that “key elements are still missing.” The group calls for an “explicit commitment” to launch the review of CO2 standards in 2025 for heavy-duty vehicles.

Meanwhile, E-Mobility Europe, says the EC should compensate for the weakening of the 2025 car and van CO2 limits by maximising efforts to boost EV demand and support the European charging and battery sectors.

Advocacy group T&E warns that the EC’s proposal to support EU battery production and set up local content requirements could be “too little too late.” It notes that at least 100 gigawatt-hours of battery capacity was cancelled in the region last year, and without urgency, no meaningful progress will be made.

The EC will seek to pass, this month, an amendment to the bloc’s CO2 standards regulation to allow more flexibility on compliance. If adopted, the change will enable carmakers to meet their compliance targets by averaging performance over a three-year period, rather than annually. This will allow them to “offset any shortfalls in one or two years with excess achievements in other years, while keeping the overall ambition on the 2025 targets,” it explains.

For T&E, the 2025 CO2 target was the “single greatest incentive” for EU carmakers to catch up in the race to electrify. It estimates the move now risks up to 880,000 fewer electric car sales between 2025 and 2027, while also removing pressure on the industry to roll out cheaper EV models.