A coalition of sustainable mobility organisations, including ethanol industry association ePURE, has called on the European Commission to adopt a more technology-open approach to the Greening of Corporate Fleets initiative, which is set to take the form of a legislative proposal.
In a joint letter addressed to European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the signatories expressed concern that the initiative is set to take the form of a legislative proposal. They warned that the regulation proposed by some stakeholders in Brussels with mandatory battery electric vehicle (BEV) purchase targets for corporate fleets could slow greening and is in contradiction with the market-driven principles of the EU.
Separately, the latest car sales data highlight the importance of a flexible approach to de-fossilising road transport, ePURE said. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), sales of BEVs declined by almost 10% in November, with their market share shrinking to 15% from 16.3% last year. Petrol and hybrid car sales represented more than 70% of the sales of new cars in November. As these cars will remain on Europe’s roads until well beyond 2035, it’s crucial that renewable ethanol participates in EU transport decarbonisation, ePURE said.
