The European Union's goal of reducing C02 emissions to 120g/km is not attainable by the 2012 target date, says Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Speaking to Wirtschaftswoche, and reported by Auto Motor und Sport , Dr Z says "sixty percent of the vehicles which we will sell in 2012 are already in the factories and are going to customers on the market." With C02 averages currently at 170g/km, Zetsche says it will take another seven years to prepare a new generation of vehicles, leaving EU goals out of reach within the current timeframe. Zetsche also reveals that Daimler will be sticking to its guns on alternative energy development, vowing to push for greater acceptance of hydrogen fuel cells where the automaker has sunk considerable R&D efforts. Zetsche acknowledges that "The last open question is: will there be a universally available hydrogen infrastructure, where will the hydrogen come from, and what will be the energy savings?" Big questions indeed for a company facing tough carbon goals in a short timeframe.
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ummm… In the latest Motor Trend there is an article where they drove a new Audi A3 with the 1.3 TDI (i think) that meets the 2012 goals.
Nice try Dr. Z.
Sounds like a German replay of the tired old litany of “can’t be done” (foot stamp/tantrum) “we can’t and we won’t!” out of Detroit 30+ years ago, when CAFE rules went into effect. Or when Detroit was told to cut back on emissions 40+ years ago. Or when Detroit was told to add safety equipment.
Well shazam, look at that. Detroit was able to add safety equipment, emissions equipment and was able to meet CAFE regulations!
Lame, Herr Zetsche. Just lame.
In the meanwhile, Toyota and Honda have over a decade of real experience on the road with viable fuel saving hybrid technology, and Hyundai/Kia are ready to roll within 2 years with it, too.
I just read that the Lexus GS 400 h hybrid is being lauded in the UK as a means to not only have a luxury car, but not pay exhorbitant daily fees, since the CO2 levels are under 185.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/06/lexus-touts-their-gs-450h-in-response-to-londons-congestion-cha/
So much for your vaunted diesel tech, Herr Doktor.
Next thing you know the government will mandate the roads be built to modern standards.
Just kidding, the government doesn’t have any plan on building a 21 century road system when the 1950’s model is still working. Much easier to mandate and use those 100’s of billions in gasoline taxes for? What do they use that money for?
Menno,
Your argument cuts both ways.
Detroit stamped its feet over safety, economy and emissions. You would have too, had you been in their place at the beginning of the process. All three involve IC microprocessor electronics, which practically didn’t exist outside R&D facilities at the beginning of the mandates. Economy and emissions depend heavily on ICs and there was no crystal ball in Detroit or any other auto town that told them, relax, help is on the way. We’re all better off that ICs came out of left field to save their bacon and deliver better cars.
On the other hand, California stamped its feet about electric vehicles and that didn’t work. The GM EV-1 was a fragile hand-built test lab that was also hugely expensive. The batteries sucked then and still do. No conspiracy is needed to understand why they came off the road – liability and tort consequences do the job nicely. So Cali’s tantrum came to nothing.
Just because someone tells you they’ve passed a law enabling – or mandating – that you can fly doesn’t mean you should try it or believe the law/regulation has any validity.
Dr Z is stating that 3/5s of the designs for the production pipeline are already finalized for cars 3 model years out. Not sure you get much better responsiveness out of the Japanese or anyone else than 3 years production lead.
bugger me would a 1.3 S-class be slow
Menno . . . I fail to see how the Lexus Hybrid getting 185 g/km is in any way an argument in favor, as it still misses the standard by over 50%. It’s a long, long way from 185 to 120. In fact, it kinda supports Zetsche . . . even with a hybrid, they still can’t even get close to the standard.
Also, I’m not sure of the point of the comment on the 1.3L Audi A3 . . . in short, so what? Sure it can be done, but can it be done for the entire fleet? Where’s the 120 gm/km A8?
dkulmacz, I think I made the same mistake earlier in assuming that “every” vehicle had to be under 120. I don’t think that is the case. Perhaps someone in Europe can clear that up for us.
My point was that the London Congestion Charge allows the hybrid technology to be used in a large, luxury car and still allows a Londoner to only be charged 8 pounds a day (ouch) instead of 25 pounds a day (way worse ouch) for a conventional luxury car.
As an aside, I AM going to laugh myself sick when it turns out that Al Gore & all the earth-religion freak-followers all over Europe spend themselves into an economic slump over this global warming new religion. Because these folks have to have more “faith” in their ersatz religion than Christians do in ours; we have 2000 years of history. The earth-religionists who follow Al and the like, have a few scientists who will probably be proved very, very wrong in about two years.
Guess we’ll see if the solar flares come back by that time and if they do, we can thank God for the lucky break. Otherwise, Maunder Minimum and global COOLING will be the order of the day. Just as happened in the little ice age 1370-1812. Apparently we’ve lost the entire century of temperature increases worldwide in ONE YEAR.
Before you think I’m some idjit who drives a 9 gallon per mile SUV, no. I drive a Prius. It’s called good stewardship of resources.
… and more importantly, where is the customer for a 1.3L A8??? You can force the manufacturer to produce, but you can’t force the customer to buy…..
All of this is, of course completely unnecessary. Rabid Rick was right about something after all…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/04/09/do0907.xml