9 hours ago
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The European Union’s plans for a class of compact, made-in-Europe electric vehicles to fend off low-cost Chinese rivals have moved another step closer to reality.
Electric Cars
The European Union (EU) has moved another step closer to creating a new compact electric vehicle class, with an eye on protecting local automakers from the threat of cheap Chinese imports.
In the lead-up to its creation, the new vehicle class was widely tipped to be modelled on regulations similar to those of Japan's ultra-compact Kei cars, however with regulations now in place, the EU’s new class will be based on an existing vehicle class.
As a subset of the M1 passenger car class, which covers passenger cars up to 3.5 tonnes in weight, and with a carrying capacity of up to nine seats, the new car category will be dubbed M1E.
Greater restrictions will apply to M1E vehicles, including a maximum vehicle length, including a maximum vehicle length not exceeding 4200mm.
Its possible that cars already in production, like the Mini Cooper (3858mm) Aceman (4079mm) and Renault 5 E-Tech (3920mm) will be able to comly with the new regulations.
The 4200mm maximum length also means that, while initially compared to Japan’s Kei class of vehicles, M1E cars will be much larger than the 3400mm maximum length restriction imposed on the class in Japan.
The full technical details of the category restrictions are still to be published, but the European Commision, the EU’s legislative arm, says that the category requirements will be lock in for at least 10 years, to prove car manufacturers with ongoing certainty.
As an incentive to brands to join the new M1E vehicle class, the EU will provide 1.3 vehicle credits per unit sold, to offset CO2 emissions from other vehicles in a carmakers range, to to be sold to other brands, instead of the single credit applied to larger M1-category EVs.
The so-called ‘super credit’ offsets are being positioned as a way for brands to indirectly lower the cost of new M1E vehicles.
Europe already has a 10 per cent import levy applied to Chinese vehicles and Chinese-built EVs attract a 35 per cent tariff designed to help protect European brands from the pressures of low-cost imports.
While the UK is no longer a member of the EU, it’s not known if British consumers will have access to M1E vehicles, with the lack of a similar CO2 reward structure potentially pushing car brands to prioritise European markets.
By extension, Australian consumers may also miss out, or of M1E-compliant vehicles do make their way here, pricing may not align with European pricing where vehicles will be with thin margins to help generate additional CO2 offset credits.
Electric Cars Guide
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
