EU lawmaker wants slower cars to curb CO2
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Cars sold in the European Union should be built so they cannot drive faster than 162 kilometers (101 miles) per hour to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from driving, an EU lawmaker proposed.
Chris Davies, a British member of the European Parliament, said cars should not be able to drive any faster than 25 percent above 130 km/hour -- the speed limit in most of the EU's 27 member states -- from 2013.
"Driving a car (faster than) that is against the law in every country but Germany," he said. "It's nonsense. I believe it needs to be countered."
His non-binding proposal could influence parliament's opinion ahead of new CO2 legislation for cars expected from the European Commission in the next year. Davies also recommends giving the auto industry more time to improve motor technology.
The Commission plans to propose new rules by mid-2008 to force carmakers to cut emissions from new cars to an average of 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer across the fleet by 2012 through improved engine technology.
Davies' report suggests moving that date back to 2015 but with a target of 120 g/km. It also suggests longer-term targets of 95 g/km by 2020 and 70 g/km by 2025.
EU environment ministers meeting on Thursday are expected to ask the Commission to set out CO2 targets for road vehicles for 2020 as part of the bloc's efforts to fight global warming.
