Commission proposes regulations to improve energy efficiency from tyres
Sat 24 May 2008
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The European Commission has tabled draft legislation which proposes safety and environmental perfomance improvements including provisions to increase energy efficiency by mandating the introduction of low rolling resistance tyres by 2012.
The Commission's press release says that CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 7 gram of CO2 per km through the use of low rolling resistance tyres, with proportionate improvements in fuel economy.
Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will be further reduced by the proposed introduction of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems. The Commission says that its latest proposal will sweep away more than 150 existing Directives and replace them with a single Regulation, which is directly applicable in the EU and refers to harmonised UN standards. There are also provisions to reduce tyre noise.
According to Commission spokesman Ton van Lierop (quoted in ENDS): "We reckon that the average motor car will be between €100 and €300 more expensive [because of the extra requirements, but] we're convinced the extra costs will be paid back by the fuel savings."
The new standards are part of the "complementary measures" intended to reduce vehicle emissions by 10g/km as a contribution to the EU target to cut average new car emissions to 120g/km by 2012.
The Commission denied that sports utility vehicles would be exempted from the rules as had been suggested by environmental groups. Derogations would only apply to four-wheel drive vehicles with off-road treads used by emergency services, it said.
The Brussels-based NGO T&E were generally unimpressed by the proposals. The group's transport noise campaigner said that around half of car tyres on the market already comply with the proposed new standards for both noise and rolling resistance.
T&E's Nina Renshaw said: "We need tough standards that require and inspire innovation and new technology in the industry".
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