Glass for Europe position paper on CO2 emissions from cars

Under regulation EC 443(2009)1, the EU-wide CO2 emission target for passenger cars is currently set at 120 g/km. This target must be met through improvements to power train performance, as measured by the NEDC test cycle, and credits obtained via the eco-innovation scheme. In addition to these tools, 10g CO2/km are meant to be saved by way of complementary measures. 

- Taking account of glazing’s role in reducing CO2 emissions from the car fleet
- Proposal for a regulation COM(2012) 393 final   

A similar regulatory infrastructure is proposed under the new EC proposal - COM(2012)393 - article 1 of which sets a target of 95 g CO2/km as average emissions for the new car fleet.

High-performance glazing technologies, in particular solar control glazing, can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions generated by light duty vehicles, which are equipped with mobile air-conditioning systems (MAC). Nevertheless, despite the complex policy architecture described above, to date no regulatory incentive exists to encourage car manufacturers to embrace this fuel and CO2-saving technology.

Glass for Europe calls on policy makers to re-think the existing policy architecture on CO2 emissions of vehicles, as existing instruments create too many loopholes.

Glass for Europe takes the view that European decision makers should:

• support a review of the test cycle to better reflect real-driving conditions and
• call for a rapid review of the eco-innovation scheme to ensure that, until the benefits of CO2 saving technologies are adequately reflected in official CO2 emissions data, these technologies can qualify as eco-innovations.

Executive summary

• To date, there are high-performance glass technologies available on the markets that help reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of vehicles.
• Since emissions from air-conditioning systems are not accounted for in the NEDC test cycles, car manufacturers are not ready to invest in these products as they prefer to focus investment on technologies that allow them to meet their CO2 binding targets.
• Due to regulatory loopholes, to date no regulatory instrument can be activated to support the market uptake of these CO2-saving glass technologies
• Glass for Europe calls for the eco-innovation scheme to be opened up to provide immediate support for the uptake of these glass technologies, until concrete complementary measures are put in place or until real-driving emission test cycles become applicable.

About Glass for Europe

Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of flat glass. Flat glass is the material that goes into a variety of end-products such as windows and façades for buildings, windscreens and windows for automotive, solar panels, furniture, electronics, etc. Glass for Europe has four members: AGC Glass Europe, NSG Group, Saint-Gobain Glass/Sekurit and Sisecam/Trakya Cam and works in association with Guardian.