Editorial: Le Monde

• A section of the European automotive industry is heavily lobbying the European Commission to delay the implementation of CO2 emissions rules.
• There are concerns that the tighter 'CAFE' standards, which cap the average CO2 emissions per kilometer and per car sold, will prove too challenging for some manufacturers, with severe penalties for non-compliance.
• Affected manufacturers are faced with a decision to either pay significant penalties or stop selling internal combustion engines to increase the share of electric vehicles in their overall sales.
• Manufacturers argue that electric vehicle sales have flattened and that projections made at the time the new standards were designed are now outdated.
• Not all manufacturers are struggling to meet the standards, suggesting that compliance is largely dependent on the individual manufacturer's strategy.
• Some manufacturers have chosen to boost short-term profits at the expense of the necessary investment for the inevitable shift to electric vehicles.

Conclusion: The automotive industry must take responsibility for accelerating the shift to electric vehicles in response to the climate change challenge. Refusal to adjust to the established regulations only perpetuates the false perception that electric vehicles are a strategic mistake.

---