Tag Archives: ICE cars

News

Euro 7 will apply to EVs

Although the European Union planned to apply the new Euro 7 standards from 2026, increasing pressure from manufacturers forced the EU to postpone this decision until the end of the decade. This meant easing the existing Euro 6 norm, but also giving more time for adaptation. Now the European Parliament says that Euro 7 will apply to electric cars as well.

Europe is trying to eliminate ICE cars from its roads at all costs, and one of the steps is to ban the sale of ICE vehicles from 2035. For now, it seems almost impossible, but the European Parliament has established interim measures to continue reducing CO2 emissions.

If you’re wondering what kind of harmful emissions electric cars produce, here’s the answer. With the new regulation, the measurements will not only take into account the emissions from the exhaust pipes, but also the emissions of other particles that are also harmful to health, such as microplastics or microdust that is thrown out by the wear of tires or brakes. This measure will apply to all cars, regardless of their powertrain.

Euro 7 regulations will apply from 2030, and many analysts are convinced that they will not give the expected result. However, all manufacturers must adapt to the new emissions limit, and the WLTP protocol measures the pollution data of every new car in the European Union (CO2 and NOx particles). Any deviation from the legal regulations entails a penalty for each additional gram of CO2. This has already started to show certain consequences, and an example is the Honda Civic Type R with a price of more than 100,000 euros.

Of course, some electric car manufacturers are not happy with this decision, so the EU has proposed special measures that mainly relate to battery life. This means an additional investment of huge amounts of money in development, which will be a great financial pressure on European manufacturers who are currently struggling with competitors from China. Of course, all this will be paid by customers with higher car prices.

Source: Reuters

News

Škoda will continue to develop ICE and hybrid cars

Last month, Mercedes announced that it will continue to develop ICE and hybrid cars in the future, and it seems that Škoda will follow the same path. At least as long as there are buyers who choose this type of vehicle.

The growth of demand for electric cars in the world is on the rise, however, most European car manufacturers are struggling with competition, which, supported by government subsidies and lower labor costs, offers cars at lower prices. This forces most of the world’s manufacturers to continue offering cars with ICEs.

“We will offer our customers everything they are looking for, from diesel and petrol engines, through mild hybrids or plug-in hybrids, all the way to electric vehicles. From our point of view, this is not about competing for the latest internal combustion engine, but about putting the desire of our customers in the center of attention. Our position, but our attitude is as reasonable as the one Škoda has accustomed us to,” said Chairman of the Board of Management of Škoda Klaus Zellmer to the Spanish motor.es.

Although EU regulations are forcing manufacturers to switch to fully electric cars, it is the customers who set the speed. A large number of them still do not trust electric cars and choose ICEs or hybrids. In addition, under the pressure of the current situation with Chinese cars that are rapidly conquering the European market, Renault Group head Luca de Meo suggests that European manufacturers join forces to protect the European market.

Last month, Luca de Meo stated that Europe is facing major challenges and that the alienation and disorientation of the European automotive industry will lead to a structural trade deficit for Europe. He also warns that the phase-out of internal combustion engines, which is planned for 2035, could mean a decrease in the competitiveness of the European car industry. According to him, ICEs have been a protective barrier for Europeans for years, and now with the development of electric cars and the increased need for batteries, that protection is disappearing because the Chinese control 75 percent of global battery production.

“Speed is important against the Chinese. We are in an uncertain world. In the past, when we had cars with internal combustion engines, we could predict what was coming. Now, if you take four or five years to react, it is too late,” said de Meo.

Source: motor.es, Automotive News Europe, Škoda

News

Mercedes will continue to develop ICE and hybrid cars after 2030

Although the EU has ordered manufacturers to switch to full electrification by the end of the decade, the latest information suggests that Mercedes may continue to develop ICE and hybrid cars after 2030. The reason lies in the decline in demand for electric cars in Europe, but also in the high prices of electric vehicles.

According to data for January, the demand for electric cars on the German market dropped by 54.9 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Some of the reasons are the decision of the German authorities to temporarily suspend subsidies for the purchase of new EVs, current state of the German economy, geopolitical tensions in the region, inflation, but also the bad infrastructure of charging stations. This led buyers to turn to proven options, gasoline and diesel cars. In January, 9.1 percent more gasoline cars were sold compared to the same period in 2023, while demand for diesels increased by 9.5 percent.

Chairman of the management board of Mercedes-Benz Ola Källenius said that PHEV cars will remain in use for years to come, regardless of the fact that plug-in hybrids were the first to be removed from the list of state subsidies.

Mercedes had high expectations when it comes to electric vehicles, but now plans and predictions are changing. Källenius believes that only 50% of cars sold by 2030 will be EVs.

Is this the only way for European manufacturers to counter the conquest of Chinese electric cars that are arriving in large numbers on the European market, or are manufacturers finally realizing that electrification is going too fast and that currently “green energy” is not green? The future will show.

Source: Mercedes-Benz