{"id":42427,"date":"2024-01-26T09:51:24","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T09:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=42427"},"modified":"2024-01-26T10:38:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T10:38:24","slug":"rules-of-origin-tariffs-averted-but-whats-next-for-europes-ev-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/rules-of-origin-tariffs-averted-but-whats-next-for-europes-ev-transition\/42427\/","title":{"rendered":"Rules of Origin tariffs averted \u2013 but what’s next for Europe\u2019s EV transition?"},"content":{"rendered":"
The dust is still settling on the deal brokered by policymakers in the final days of 2023 to push back incoming Rules of Origin tariffs by three years, and the auto industry and transition proponents alike will be celebrating.<\/p>\n
The trade rules, had they come into force this month, would have established domestic sourcing quotas that impact EV production on both sides of the Channel. Given the embryonic state of Europe\u2019s battery supply chain<\/a>, which is eclipsed by its counterparts in China, this was widely expected to drive up costs, denting consumer appetite for EVs and complicating the path to net zero for corporate fleets.<\/p>\n Undoubtedly, the eleventh-hour delay to Rules of Origin tariffs has thrown a lifeline to the EV switch. But the transition journey is far from over. The tariffs postponement is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the success of the zero-emission vehicle transition, and now the real work must resume.<\/p>\n Building confidence in EV adoption remains the key challenge facing Europe\u2019s fleet.<\/p>\n The number of EVs on Europe\u2019s roads saw substantial growth last year, with a 37% increase in volume from 2022. But battery EVs still make up only 14.6% of the continent\u2019s overall fleet, a reminder of how far there is to go before the phase-out of new internal combustion engines (ICE) in 2035.<\/p>\n A break has emerged between corporate fleet and weaker private buyer adoption, while a gap also persists between different EU member states. Central and eastern European countries are much further behind the EV curve than their western neighbours Italy, Spain, France, and Germany.<\/p>\n Confidence will be the key to overcoming this. Over a third of EV charging infrastructure<\/a> is concentrated in just two member states, and ending this charge point lottery will be vital for overcoming range anxiety and boosting adoption further afield.<\/p>\n Likewise, territorial adoption correlates closely with local incentive regimes, such as tax subsidies, which not only offer a financial leg-up but signal long-term government alignment with the EV transition.<\/p>\nShifting up a gear<\/h3>\n