Madrid
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Emissions from road transport constitute one of the main sources of air pollution, which is the cause of several serious diseases, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. In fact, according to numerous studies, pollution is responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths each year.
With this preamble, Spain presents the heads and tails regarding the adoption of measures against pollution and acceptance by consumers. Thus, according to a survey of the european institute of public opinion
YouGov commissioned by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), a large majority would be willing to pay a higher amount when purchasing a vehicle if it were powered by clean technologies.
Specifically, 71% of Spanish citizens (65% European average) would pay up to an additional €500 which, at the same time, is the maximum cost for manufacturers if they apply a significant reduction in car emissions.
This collides with the position of Spain in terms of charging point infrastructure for electric vehicles. According to the global electromobility indicator that assesses the penetration of electrified vehicles and the installation of public access charging infrastructures, Spain registers a total of 12,702 charging points throughout the entire national territory. Compared to the rest of Europe, the general assessment of Spain is in the penultimate position of the European ranking, only ahead of the Czech Republic.
In the study of the environmental organization Transport & Environment It shows that almost nine out of ten people surveyed (88%) answered that manufacturers should be required by law to reduce emissions from new cars as much as technically possible. Even when buying a second hand car, more than half of the respondents (54%) stated that they expect the vehicle to meet the minimum legal pollution limit.
Only a small minority (9%) do not expect a used car to meet this criteria. In this way, T&E understands that “it is clear that there is a need for stricter regulation on air pollution so that manufacturers can produce the cleanest vehicles possible.”
The survey is published at a time of proposals for a new regulation on car emissions by the European Commission. In addition to Spain, it has been carried out in six other countries of the European Union: Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic, contemplating a sample of more than 8,000 people.
In this regard, Isabel Buechel, director of the office of
T&E in Spain, understands that with the data from this survey it can be stated that «the automobile sector affirms that reducing vehicle emissions is too expensive, although it will actually cost less than painting a car. The public wants the cleanest cars possible and is willing to pay the difference.”
The
European Comission is considering monitoring the emissions of cars “under real conditions” throughout their life cycle on the roads. Nowadays only new cars are checked during the first five years or during its first 100,000 km. However, many of them remain on the roads for much longer, especially in Southern Europe, Central Europe and Eastern Europe, exposing millions of people to higher emitting vehicles.
In this sense, the survey has revealed that there is significant support for requiring car manufacturers to comply with the minimum legal limits of pollution in all circumstances, not exclusively in ideal driving conditions and regardless of how, when and where. are used. a premise which is supported by 85% of the people asked in Spain. However, the current limits do not apply to short trips within cities – in which cars stop and start more frequently – or when accelerating quickly, despite the fact that in these circumstances the engines emit more.
Cristian Quílez, responsible for projects
ECODES, points out that “keeping pollution levels low for just five years, when most cars are in use for much longer, is a threat to public health. People want to be certain that emissions will be kept within legal limits both when buying a new car and a second-hand one. We are facing an essential step to improve air quality, a problem that all cities must face, committing to zero-emission urban mobility.”
Reducing air pollution is one of the top priorities of the Green Deal of the European Union and the Commission it is currently studying the recommendations of independent experts whom it has invited to review the best available technology. It will be in April when the proposal of the new “Euro 7” regulation is expected, which will establish the legal limits of the almost 100 million diesel and gasoline cars that will be sold in Europe from 2025.
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