This article originally appeared at BusinessGreen.com, and is reprinted with permission.
May 4, 2010 – BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen.com – New strategy aims to cut emissions from vans and light trucks.
Very interesting idea out of Europe that will save fuel, reduce carbon emissions and increase highway safety. It would be tough to get this to fly in the US but it’s something to think about.
The European Union is actively considering imposing mandatory speed limiters on vans and light trucks in an effort to curb carbon emissions from the vehicles, according to a draft report leaked to news agency Reuters.
The draft report sets out the European Parliament’s position on new rules designed to reduce emissions from vans and features a range of proposals, including plans to automatically limit vans and light trucks to speeds of 120km per hour (74.6mph).
“One … way to tackle the problem would be to have mandatory speed limiters for light commercial vehicles,” says the document, which has been seen by Reuters.
In an attempt to head off the likely protests from haulage firms and van operators, the report defends the proposal insisting that it is a safe and cost-effective way of cutting emissions and improving fuel efficiency.
“These vehicles are almost exclusively used for commercial purposes and do not need to exceed 120 km per hour,” the report states. “The technology is available to do this; it is a cheap and effective way of immediately lowering emissions and many commercial organisations retro-fit them to their vehicles.”
The proposals will contribute to the latest round of negotiations between the European Parliament and European Commission on new rules for governing emissions from vans and light trucks.
In an echo of the long-running row that preempted the introduction of mandatory emission standards for cars last year, the Commission and Parliament appear divided on the level at which to impose emission standards on vans and, according to the document seen by Reuters, the Parliament is moving to water down the Commission’s original proposals.
The Commission had said that it wants manufacturers to cut average emissions from vans and light trucks by almost a third on 2007 levels to 135 grams per km by 2020. But the parliament report recommends a less demanding target of 150 g rams per km, while also proposing that the financial penalties imposed on those manufacturers that breach the standard are reduced.
Blank us on ......