European automakers are a bunch of whiners over CO₂ rules

Automotive News Europe columnist Tony Lewin (subs req'd) has got a message for the European automakers in the wake of new CO₂ laws: stop whining. He didn't say that in so many words (he said that the automakers are letting out "anguished squeals" and "you would have thought that they were told that starting in 2012 all cars had to have square wheels and run on recycled orange juice"), but that's his message. We've already seen VW express unhappiness over the fines that will kick in in 2012. Lewin says the reason these cries should be halted is that the new 130 grams of CO₂ per kilometer average from automakers that will now be required "was first discussed in 1994." 13 years later, and what have the automakers done? Some improvements, sure, but not enough. And it's not like the European government is springing this regulation on the automakers out of nowhere. Check out the rest of Lewin's argument (if you have a subscription to AN).

What gets me is that we see, pretty much on a daily basis, some automaker or another telling us how amazing their new low-CO₂ car is. I mean, just look at the offerings from Peugeot or Renault. I know the sub-120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer cars these companies (and others) are often just concepts, but not always. And anyway, five year is enough time to bring them to market. If the automakers say it's not, then they can step aside for companies that can do it.

[Source: Automotive News Europe]