Low-carbon cars need another decade of research and innovation

There are no shortage of initiatives throughout the European Union to support green vehicle technologies and sustainable fuels for road transport. But the vision of a market where low-carbon cars and fuels dominate continues to fade into the distant future. Despite more than a decade of support from many EU governments and intensive R&D by industry, “green cars” that significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions represent less than one per cent of total vehicle sales in the EU. The technology race is taking longer than expected, and the policy options are limited.

At the same time, the need for low-carbon cars and fuels has only become more urgent. The EU has set an ambitious target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 to 95 per cent by 2050, but emissions from road transport have risen 26 per cent between 1990 and 2008 – an alarming trend – and one-fifth of all CO2 emissions in Europe come from motor vehicles. Breakthroughs in alternative vehicle and fuel technologies will not only help battle climate change, but can help secure jobs and economic growth for the European auto industry while improving air quality and energy security.

Which technologies hold the greatest promise for greening road transport? And will the heavy public investment in electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel-cell cars and sustainable biofuels ever pay off? Those questions were addressed by research, industry and policy experts attending the Science|Business symposium “The race to produce low carbon cars – which technology will win?” on 21 June 2013 in Brussels. This report summarises the half-day debate and key ideas and recommendations to accelerate breakthroughs in more sustainable cars and fuels. 

One key conclusion: The technologies and fuels capable of greening the global transport sector need another decade of research and innovation to drive costs down, creating vehicles and fuels that can compete with the improving efficiency of the internal combustion engine, powered by petrol and diesel. The investment in new energy technologies and systems is always a long-term process, but participants agreed that smart policies can avert wasted funds and reduce time to market.

Approximately €7.2 billion is earmarked for transport in the forthcoming Horizon 2020 EU research programme, which covers 2014-2020. Europe now has an opportunity to review its policy and adopt a smart approach to investing in R&D for sustainable road transport.

Over the next 10 years, more efficient petrol and diesel engines will be part of the answer to cutting road transport emissions – automakers estimate engine efficiency still can be improved by 20 per cent. But when it comes to replacing the internal combustion engine with much cleaner alternatives, there are no clear front-runners among the green vehicle technologies and alternative fuels in the pipeline. And, while it’s preferable to let the market pick winners, it’s also clear that research budgets are limited. As a result, policymakers should enter into an open and honest debate with scientists and industry around the following related questions: 

• How widely should society experiment with alternatives to petrol and diesel?
• How many alternative fuels and technologies are deserving of public support?
• Which technologies and fuels have a realistic chance of greening the EU transport system?

Experts at the round table called for greater clarity on the ability of technologies under development to compete without subsidies and what time frame would be needed. “If you strip away the marketing, fluff, aspiration, the sell, how close are you really to being able to offer propositions that are competitive?” asked John Polak, professor of transport demand, and head of the Centre for Transport Studies, Imperial College London. Those technologies far from the mark are likely to require additional research before public subsidies could help them become viable alternatives to existing cars and fuels.

You can download the full report of the round table and it's conclusions clicking here: THE RACE TO PRODUCE LOW-CARBON CARS