ecoresearchers

The European Commission has “proposed binding rules” requiring automakers to reduce the average carbon dioxide emissions across their models from a current maximum of 163 grams down to 130 grams per kilometer. For readers unfamiliar with the lawmaking process in the European Union, “proposing a binding rule” is step 22 in a 41-step process and falls right between “debating endlessly in 37 languages” and “packing up our things to drive to Strasbourg for no good reason“.

The original idea was to limit CO₂ emissions to 120 grams per kilometer but a compromise had to be reached because of boisterous German opposition. You see, Germans are known for making luxury cars like the Mercedes S-Class or sportscars like the Porsche 911, both of which are concerned more with getting you somewhere really fast more than with doing so with a small ecological footprint, or tiretrack as it were. Making simply sufficient cars is something best left to the French or Italians, who are wussies anyway because they have speed limits on their autoroutes and autostradas. As much as it is enjoyable to make fun, it is understandable that the German auto industry fears for its dominant position if some of its models are no longer street-legal. Bavaria’s Minister for Economic Affairs showed off his silliness skills, though, in saying that he didn’t want Germans “reduced to a country of compact car drivers“.

If the proposed rule is eventually approved by member countries, I hope that all automakers (including the struggling US automakers who sell cars in Europe) will stop expending energy explaining how hard it will be and start working on ways to make it happen. I’m guessing that the Mercedes S500 (current CO2 emissions: 279 g/km) would be comfortable and fun to drive even if it had a clean diesel hybrid and didn’t go an unnecessarily fast 250 km/h (155 mph).