MEPs approved rules that would reduce the CO2 emissions of new light commercial vehicles sold in the EU to 147g/km by 2020.

Making vans more environmentally friendly

The day when we’re all driving around  in electric cars like this one

but MEPs are drawing up rules to make  our vehicles more environmentally friendly.

MEPs have approved reducing the CO2  emissions of new vans to 147g/km by 2020.

A compromise from  the original proposal of 135g/km.

The emission cuts  will be phased in from 2014.

that 70% of their fleet of new vans  will comply with a 175g/km target for 2017.

Failure to comply will result  in heavy fines of up to 95 euros

for every excess gram  per registered van.

Those who support the legislation say  it will benefit small businesses.

We should watch out, if we set tough CO2  limits, for the price of new cars increasing.

And maybe the benefit in that  is not the same

as could be had by operating a car  with a lower fuel consumption.

But there is a loophole in the legislation:

the target only applies to  the average of the fleet of vans produced.

So a manufacturer can still produce vans  with higher emissions

by balancing them with vehicles  that are below the limit.

So back to the e-car –  could the technology be developed

so that e-vans could replace their  conventional friends on Europe’s roads?

They are no alternative,  because they don’t reach long distances.

And what's the benefit in that if you only  have it as a second car in the city?

I think you should then develop  conventional cars with less C02 emissions.

So it seems, despite the criticism,  MEPs agree

that reducing C02 emissions is the best way  forward in tackling climate change.