Lessors and manufacturers
welcome a gradual introduction of CO2 targets. Antonio
Fabrizio reports.
Go deeper with GlobalData
New rules to reduce
CO2 emissions from vans have been welcomed by
manufacturers and lessors as a sign that LCVs are central to the
European Union’s environmental aims.
The rules, which set short-term and
long-term emission targets, were softened following opposition from
Germany, Europe’s largest van manufacturer.
“We are happy that LCVs are not
forgotten within the hot debate on environment,” said Vincent
Rupied, Arval director of corporate relations and chairman of
Leaseurope’s automotive steering group.
“There are many areas where LCVs
are less in the focus of political authorities and we have been
doing a lot to draw attention to them.”
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By GlobalDataAll new vans will have to comply
with the short-term carbon emission target of 175g/km by 2017, one
year later than first proposed. The full light commercial vehicles
target of 147g/km, less ambitious than the initial proposal of
135g/km, comes into force by 2020.
Rupied added that the latest
measures could bring additional costs for lessors and
manufacturers, but that the industry as a whole would benefit.
He said: “For the leasing industry,
it is an additional cost regarding the price of vehicles; for
manufacturers, it is an additional challenge on R&D.
“But this is happening anyway, and
in the past we have been investing in safety and cleaner vehicles
with remarkable results, so we are happy to promote it and push it
further.”
The staged introduction of targets
was welcomed as a useful way to smooth the transition to low carbon
vehicles over time.
Rupied said: “What we fear is
novelties below the threshold of three or four years: innovation in
the regulations within a shorter period of anticipation is
bad.”
Residual values are thought likely
to be unaffected by the changes.
Rupied said: “The new measure will
not disturb the evolution of residual values, because it is well
tried and has been planned with sufficient time in advance.”
Hitachi Capital CV Services head
Jon Lawes also welcomed the new rules.
He said: “Setting CO2
emission standards for LCVs is a positive step. It is not something
unexpected, and manufacturers and proactive leasing companies have
been working towards reducing CO2 emissions for some
time.”
Lawes claimed the new standards
enable lessors to demonstrate to customers how they add value.
He said: “Vehicles with the lowest
CO2 emission will inevitably be among those with the
best residual value as they will be the cheapest to run.”
James Davis, Manheim Remarketing
commercial vehicles manager, agreed that phased introduction would
reduce any impact on residual values.
He said: “Commercial vehicles are a
working tool, so it could be that users specify the van for the
job, irrelevant of CO2 emissions – unless they are
operating in emission charging zones.
“Residual values of used vans are
determined primarily by specification, condition, mileage and
suitability for second life usage. The wider the van’s appeal and
its potential for future use, the stronger the residual value will
be.”
Connie Hedegaard, EU commissioner
for climate action, said the legislation represented a positive
compromise.
She said: “The agreed regulation
will make vans less polluting and will contribute to our overall
ambition to cut emissions from transport.
“With the agreed 2020 target, it will stimulate innovation in
industry, enabling manufacturers to take full advantage of the
transition to a low-carbon economy.”
See also:
