VDA on fleet fuel consumption: Thirsty cars not taken into account

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For most car buyers, fleet consumption is a distant construct that only indirectly influences their decision for a model. The situation is completely different for the car industry: if a manufacturer exceeds its individual limit value, a fine is due for every new car sold in the EU in the reference year – regardless of whether the car in question has complied with the limit value or not. For months, the industry has been putting pressure on politicians to soften these regulations on fleet consumption. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is now reintroducing a procedure that has already been used in the past into the debate.

Disregarding up to 10 percent

Essentially, the VDA's proposal envisages excluding the thirstiest five to ten percent of the new car fleet from the regulation, i.e. not including them in the calculation of fleet consumption. This so-called “phase-in” should temporarily buy the car industry time from 2020 to achieve the CO₂ targets and avoid possible fines. If the VDA has its way, the EU should now repeat this. The EU Commission wants to make a statement on this on March 5.

Early review

It has been agreed in the EU that the existing regulation will be reviewed in 2026 and adapted if necessary. VDA President Hildegard Müller argued to “auto motor und sport” in favor of the proposal to bring forward this review. Only on this basis could it be ensured that the necessary adjustments to the framework conditions were made. “To avert additional burdens for the industry in the current crisis and not further restrict companies' investment opportunities, the EU Commission must also take action in the short term and send a clear signal to create the flexibility necessary to achieve the targets,” she said, advocating the VDA's interpretation of the situation.

Support from politicians

In the election campaign, a certain amount of support is emerging from various political directions for revising the regulation on the fleet limit value. The CDU/CSU is campaigning for technological openness, and is now critical of the penalties for excessive fleet consumption that it once agreed to. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) brought up the idea of taking stock over three years. This means that if a manufacturer does not comply with its limit value in 2025, it would have to undercut it in subsequent years. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) spoke out in favor of not burdening the car industry any further in this situation. France has also spoken out in favor of avoiding penalties for car manufacturers. In January 2025, the EU Commission clarified that it did not want to change anything for the time being.

More electric cars than before

The car industry can therefore hope that the current regulations will not be implemented in full. This is because experts, such as those from the ICCT, believe that the stricter limit value in 2025 will be virtually impossible to achieve without an increased proportion of battery electric cars on sale. Manufacturers are prepared for this to varying degrees. On the one hand, they will try to market electric cars more attractively than before. These include, for example, discounted special models or special leasing conditions. Both cut into their margins. On the other hand, they will use lobby associations to increase pressure on politicians to release more government incentives than is currently the case.

(mfz)