Could weaker car emissions rules drive up energy grid costs across Europe?

Michael Holder
clock • 6 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

Diluting CO2 targets for new cars could result in 49 million fewer EVs on Europe’s roads by 2040, potentially leading to an additional €4bn a year in grid spending

Weakening carbon emissions targets for new cars in the EU would result in tens of millions fewer electric vehicles (EVs) on Europe's roads, undermining plans for smarter grids and necessitating an additional...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Automotive

Electric vehicles drive a quarter of 2026 new car sales to date

Electric vehicles drive a quarter of 2026 new car sales to date

SMMT data confirms EVs made up 30 per cent of the car market in June, reaching 25 per cent market share for the year to date

Michael Holder
clock 06 July 2026 • 6 min read
How Formula E became a 'laboratory' for electric vehicle technology

How Formula E became a 'laboratory' for electric vehicle technology

Xavier Mestelan Pinon, the FIA's chief technical and safety officer, explains how the next iteration of Formula E's car allows automakers more freedom to implement in-house clean technologies

Stuart Stone
clock 06 July 2026 • 9 min read
Electric vehicles hit 30 per cent market share in June

Electric vehicles hit 30 per cent market share in June

Demand for zero emission models grows 38 per cent year-on-year, putting manufacturers on track to meet ZEV Mandate targets

James Murray
clock 03 July 2026 • 4 min read