2nd ICAI 2022

International Conference on Automotive Industry 2022

Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic

ensure the achievement of the national targets; and 4) measures that can promote the deployment of an alternative fuels infrastructure in the public transport (Viesi, Crema, Testi, 2017, p. 27355). Although the commented herein AFID directive impacted the number of electric recharging points, which is projected to be around twice as high in 2030 compared to a situation without the Directive, and similar impact was achieved for hydrogen and LNG refueling points, there is still huge necessity for improvement (Naumov, Keith, Sterman, 2022, p. 1–2). Trying to face up to these challenges the Commission has therefore submitted the proposal for a Regulation on the Deployment of Alternative fuels Infrastructure (COM/2021/559 final, AFIR reg.) to the European Parliament and to the Council on 14 July 2021 as a part of the ‘Fit-for-55’ package. However, for this moment it is only a legislative proposal that is currently being read in the European Parliament and its exact content may still be subject to political agreements and changes, the academic discussion on this far reaching draft is always needed and valuable. The Fit-for-55 legislative package consists of a set of ambitious, inter-connected proposals, which all drive towards the same goal of ensuring a fair, competitive and green internal market transition by 2030 and beyond. Overall, the package strengthens 8 existing pieces of legislation and presents 5 new initiatives, across a range policy areas and economic sectors, i.e.: climate, energy and fuels, transport, buildings, land use and forestry (14.07, 2021, COM/2021/550 final, p. 5). One of the Fit-for-55 key areas of action in industry and transport sectors is support for alternative fuels and more charging stations for electric vehicles. In order to reach the goal of putting the EU on a path to becoming climate neutral by 2050, a reduction of approx. 90% emissions in transport would be needed. Transport represents almost a quarter of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities. Despite of all the efforts aimed at greening EU policies emissions still remain higher than in 1990. Next to the draft of new AFIR Regulation another Fit-for-55 policy instrument aimed at accelerating the deployment of low - and zero-emission vehicles is the Clean Vehicles Directive 2019/1161 (OJ L 188, 12. 7. 2019, p. 116–130) that is planned for being updated shortly. This initiative is also consistent with the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001/EU (OJ L 328, 21. 12. 2018, p. 82–209. It seeks to ensure that lack of recharging and refuelling infrastructure does not hamper the overall ramp up of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the transport sector, where they require distinct infrastructure. Emissions-free technologies are still being developed, particularly for heavy-duty road vehicles (Prussi, Panoutsou, Chiaramonti, 2022, p. 1–3). Consumer demand for zero emission vehicles is already increasing sharply. Almost half a million new electrically chargeable vehicles (ECVs) were registered in the EU in the final quarter of 2020. This was the highest figure on record and translated into an unprecedented 17% market share. It also brought the annual total to one million new ECVs, which means that the existing electric fleet doubled in just 12 months (Quarterly Report of European Electricity Markets, Q4 2020). Electric cars have seen 2. Alternative fuels and charging stations for electric vehicles as Fit-for-55 main target

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