Europe started its new
vehicle emissions rules.
New light-duty
vehicle emission
rules started in EU
member countries
on January 1, 2020.
Vehicle
manufacturers
will have to sell
many more
electrified vehicles,
or pay costly fines,
a situation similar to
China's rules.
Automakers will
try to comply.
But their customers
are in love with
sport utility vehicles,
( SUVs )
not smaller,
more fuel
efficient cars.
The International
Energy Agency
( IEA )
says there are
200 million SUVs
around the world,
up from about
35 million in 2010.
SUVs account for 60%
of the increase in the
global car fleet
since 2010.
SUVs, and the even more
profitable pickup trucks,
consume a lot
more gasoline
than small cars
and electric hybrids
( and electric vehicles ).
“If the popularity of SUVs
continues to rise in line
with recent trends,
this could add another
2 million barrels per day
to our projection
for 2040 oil demand,”
the IEA said in its
November 2019
World Energy Outlook.
Low gasoline prices,
improved performance,
and new safety options,
are the factors driving
the popularity of SUVs.
BMW is now seeing 44%
of its global sales go to its
"X" branded SUVs.
Meanwhile, BMW
needs to invest heavily
in designing and building
more plug-in hybrid and
battery electric vehicles
to comply with stringent
emissions rules in their
major markets served.
Gasoline powered SUVs
are more profitable,
because that's what
most customers want.
Honda is finally
rolling out their
hybrid version
of the popular
'CR-V crossover
SUV later this year.
It promises a 50%
improvement in
city fuel economy.
The Trump administration
is fighting the unique
California rules in court,
but California still makes up
about half of the nation’s
electric vehicle sales.
Diesel-powered
passenger vehicles
have also been
growing in
popularity
with US buyers
in recent years.
“Consumer preferences
for SUVs could offset
the benefits from
electric cars,”
the IEA warned
in its report.
Increased SUV sales
were the second-largest
contributor to the increase
in global CO2 emissions
since 2010 -- the electric
power sector was the
( increased use of electricity )
largest contributor.