THE EUROPEAN UNION'S EURO 1 TO EURO 6 PROGRAMME

STRATEGIES, IMPACTS, AND CHALLENGES FOR EUROPEAN CAR MANUFACTURERS

Abstract

The study proceeds to evaluate the Euro 1-to-Euro 6 Programme introduced by the European Union as a regulatory framework for reducing carbon emissions from motorized vehicles with special emphasis on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as part of its agenda for carbon neutrality by 2050. These progressively evolving regulations, now more than two decades old, have put stricter and stricter limits on emissions, thus forcing the manufacturers to design cleaner technologies. The study assesses the implications induced on the automotive sector by the policy and the challenges it faced in trying to comply with those ever-renewing regulations. This study follows a mixed-methods approach of qualitative analysis of policy and quantitative analysis of secondary data to tie emission standards to technological development in the automotive industry. The findings show that the Euro 1-to-Euro 6 Programme has been a significant accelerator in the transition toward low-emission vehicles, albeit challenged by rising costs of production and compliance complications. Furthermore, the upcoming creation of the Euro 7 standard will impose further limits on emissions and introduce regulation on the non-ICE species, namely, electric and hybrid cars, recognizing non-exhaust emissions such as PM from brake and tire wear. These policies may reinforce the position of the EU as a world leader in emission reduction activity while also opening opportunities for manufacturers to develop sustainable transport solutions. From this, it follows that the Euro 1-to-Euro-7 transition will be a vital phase in the transition into greener mobility and further cementing EU commitment to long-term environmental sustainability.