On February 11, 2014, EURELECTRIC reaffirmed the importance of using electricity in transport, organising a breakfast event in the European Parliament to raise awareness of the issue among policymakers.
The event, organised with the support of car manufacturer association ACEA, took place in the context of discussions on the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive, which proposes minimum requirements and common standards for electric vehicle recharging infrastructure.
In its announcement, EURELECTRIC welcomes the directive's intention to coordinate the electrification of European transport as a way to save energy and decarbonise the transport sector.
Electric vehicles offer a viable solution for Europe's transport. They are energy-efficient and do not emit the mix of air pollutants released by conventional cars. Used in a smart way, they can also promote the use of renewable energy sources and optimise the use of grid and generation capacity.
In line with its commitment to the further electrification of transport, EURELECTRIC asked policymakers to:
- Ensure that smart charging is adopted to integrate electric vehicles into the electricity system. This will facilitate renewables integration and enable flexible, and thus cost-efficient, grid management;
- Support meaningful national policy frameworks with a strong commitment from member states to firm targets for alternative fuels usage and recharging infrastructure;
- Agree on common standards for European charging infrastructure, as a crucial step to ensuring interoperability and connectivity of electric vehicles;
- Allow for the development of appropriate market models which are coherent with on-going e-mobility initiatives and electricity market regulation. Markets are different in the EU and should avoid one-size-fits-all solutions.
Proposed in January last year, the directive is currently being debated in trilogue - informal discussions between the European Parliament, Council and the European Commission. EURELECTRIC stresses that it looks forward to a timely resolution of the discussions.
