Through its Green Deal, the EU is making sustained efforts to tackle the climate crisis by cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. This resulted in a 2022 decision to end the sale of new combustion engine cars from 2035. We said this is good news for drivers’ wallets and the environment.  

What did BEUC do?

As the EU set out to legislate to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars, we continuously brought the consumer dimension to the table. That is because consumer behaviour and choice are make-or-break factors for the success of climate efforts. The problem is that consumers are locked into a mobility system that fundamentally depends on fossil fuels.

First, BEUC and 9 of its members [1] conducted research and found that a medium-sized electric car bought in 2021 is already the most financially interesting solution over its lifetimecompared to a similar-sized petrol or diesel car. Electric cars are also the fairest engine on the market because second- and third-hand owners bear less of the car’s depreciation and benefit from low maintenance and running costs. EU legislation to reduce CO2 emissions pushes car makers to bring electric cars to the market faster, which in turn creates a second-hand stock.

We also countered criticism of the green credentials of electric cars, finding that overall they are the most environmentally sound option. We nevertheless called on policymakers to clean up the electric car supply chain. The study also revealed that electric car batteries are expected to last at least as long as the car itself, making out-of-warranty replacement unlikely.

This being said: not everyone has, wants or can afford a car – That is why BEUC advocates sustainable alternatives to car use.

[1] National consumer organisations in Belgium (Testachats/Testaankoop), Cyprus (Κυπριακού Συνδέσμου Καταναλωτών/Kypriakos Syndesmos Katanaloton), France (UFC-Que Choisir), Germany (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv), Italy (Altroconsumo), Lithuania (Lietuvos vartotojų organizacijų aljansas – LVOA), Portugal (DECO), Slovenia (Zveza Potrošnikov Slovenije – ZPS) and Spain (OCU).