On Tuesday 15th February 2011, the European Parliament adopted in first reading an amended version of the Regulation setting emission performance standards for new Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), clearing the route to a final vote at the EU Council of Ministers and formal publication in the EU Official Journal.

AEGPL warmly welcomes this step by the Parliament, particularly since their amended text contains a specific provision on bi-fuelled vehicles — the fruits of an AEGPL lobbying initiative — that will undoubtedly serve to make the production of Autogas models a more attractive proposition in the eyes of LCV manufacturers.
 
A happy-ending to a tough negotiation
After nearly two years of negotiations on a proposal issued in April 2009 by the European Commission , the European Parliament has given the green light to a Regulation fixing limits on CO2 emissions from LCVs (≤ 3.5 tonne tare + payload).
The deal is the result of a complex compromise between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Member States, under strong pressure from a wide and divergent range of trade associations and NGOs. Initially the Commission proposed a CO2 / fuel efficiency cap of 135 g/km by 2020 and a fine for non-compliance with the provisions set at €120 per excess emission, to be multiplied by the number of registered vehicles. The final document foresees a fine of €95 per gram in excess, as for passenger cars, and a somewhat less ambitious 2020 target.
Automotive manufacturers will soon be required to lower LCVs' CO2 emissions from 203 g/km (2007 average) to 175 and 147 g/km by 2017 and 2020 respectively.
The agreed text proposes phasing the 175 g/km target between 2014 and 2017:
•    2014: LCV makers to ensure that 70% of their new registered LCVs comply with the target
•    2015: 75% of the LCV to meet the target
•    2016: 80% of the LCV to meet the target
•    2017: 100%
•    2020: new target set at 147 g/km (subject to confirmation by 2013)

The penalties to be imposed on LCV manufacturers not complying with the target will also be gradually introduced, with full €95/g in excess taking effect as from 2019.
In line with the ambitious EU climate change policy, the Regulation also grants "super credits" to particularly innovative manufacturers that market ecological vehicles emitting less than 50 g CO2/km, a provision which effectively amounts to a booster for electric vehicles.

A clear advantage for the LPG sector
The introduction of a specific mechanism for bi-fuelled Autogas/petrol vehicles represents a substantial achievement for our sector since this will stimulate the development and production of bi-fuel models by LCV makers. The apparent decision on the part of all three European institutions to effectively consider bi-fuelled vehicles  mono-fuelled reflects a growing willingness to support the emergence of gaseous alternative fuels through public policy, a tendency that is also reflected in the recently published report from the Expert Group on the Future of Transport Fuels (please refer to the AEGPL Website's Member Area for more details).
This clause, found in section A. 2. of Annex II of the new Regulation, not only helps enhance the image of Autogas but also facilitates the achievement of the CO2 objectives of the vehicle manufacturers. As a result, they have every interest in increasing the share of Autogas-fuelled vans and small trucks in their range.

Once formally approved by the European Council and published in the EU Official Journal — probably around May-July this year — the new provisions will work in tandem with those already in force concerning CO2 emissions from passenger cars.
To preserve its advantage, AEGPL will continue to closely monitor the process until the final adoption, and will keep its membership informed of any (unlikely) new developments.

Actions to be carried out by AEGPL’s members
As soon as the Regulation has been adopted by the Council of Ministers, AEGPL’s Members will be invited to:
1.    Contact LCV makers at national level and promote the Autogas-specific provision set out in Annex II as it represents for them an additional market opportunity. Furthermore, this opportunity does not require a completely new internal organization. Today many LCV manufacturers use the multi-stage type approval approach for bringing their specific vehicles to the markets. In such an approach, while making technical adaptations to their vehicles to the need of their customers, they update the vehicles' administrative file (the Certificate Of Conformity or COC defined by the Directive 2007/46/EC ). For LCV manufacturers involved in these operations, adding an Autogas feeding system to a petrol version and modifying the COC is not that difficult.
 
2.    Make use of this success at national level in their general lobbying activities.

 Key Documents
    Text adopted on 15th Feb. 2011 on “Emission performance standards for new Light Commercial Vehicles.

    Directive 2007/46/EC establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.