Euro7 drives up car prices
A monthly flat-rate emissions charge of about 150 euros for cars, and a hefty 2700 euros for large vehicles - this is the price car manufacturers and, above all, customers will have to pay for adapting to the new emissions requirements. A death blow for combustion engines?
Although some aspects of the recently announced Euro7 emissions standard are not yet entirely clear, one thing already seems certain - to comply with the new permissible emission levels, driving an internal combustion car will become even more expensive. A price increase that will dig even deeper into the already burdened wallets of car drivers. Indeed, owners of diesel and petrol cars already have to spend significantly more, especially in view of the rising fuel and energy prices in connection with the Ukraine conflict. With the advent of the new emission standards, vehicles with combustion engines will move even further away from the affordability threshold.
According to expert estimates, it will cost at least 150 euros more per month when the new Euronorm comes into force. Even more in the case of vehicles in the heavier weight categories, where pollutant emissions are even more noticeable and consequently require stricter controls. A lorry or a bus would then have to pay about 2700 euros more. This is a completely expected price development, since stricter regulations will also make production in car factories more expensive. This in turn triggers a chain reaction in the car market. With the rising purchase prices for the new Euro7-compliant vehicle models, the increased development and production costs are at least partially covered - and thus, not surprisingly, ultimately redistributed to the customers themselves.
It is therefore not surprising that driving one's own car is increasingly becoming a luxury that not everyone can afford. News that may worry the corporations, but not necessarily the minds behind the new emissions standard. It remains crucial for the European Union to reduce the ecological footprint in the member states, including emissions from the transport sector. If all goes according to plan - and the new standard reduces permissible emissions while redirecting drivers to other, more environmentally friendly forms of mobility - the new Euro7 standard could score some victories. Because although the limits are not as low as climate experts would like, fewer cars on the road still mean less pollution.