Transportation accounts for
about one-fifth of carbon dioxide
emissions worldwide,
according to the World Bank.
In the European Union, carmakers
must achieve average fuel economy
equivalent to about 57 miles per gallon
by 2021, or pay substantial fines.
Meanwhile, European consumers
have developed a taste for
fuel thirsty sport utility vehicles.
Renault’s battery-powered cars,
like the subcompact Zoe,
helped make the French automaker
an attractive merger partner
with Fiat.
In the US, the Trump administration
has been rolling back air quality
regulations, but California,
and other states, are requiring
manufacturers to meet quotas
for zero-emission car sales.
Having more than one unique
state standard, in addition
to having the national standard,
would be a serious engineering
and logistics problem for
auto manufacturers
China, Britain and France
lead a list of countries
aiming to phase out cars
that burn gasoline or diesel
by 2040.
Norway is trying to convert
to all electric vehicles by 2025.
For my article about the struggles
in the global automobile industry,
click on the link below: