The European Union could create a new class of small EVs that can eschew some currently mandated safety features to reduce prices
According to multiple reports, the European Union is working on a new proposal that would create an “E car” category. These would be small electric vehicles that are less advanced than traditional models.
The details are still in flux, but a draft proposal is expected to be released soon and Nikkei says the “relaxed technical requirements” could help to lower costs for European automakers. This would enable them to better compete with the onslaught of Chinese companies that have invaded Europe.
More: China’s Car Brands Are Quietly Eating Europe’s Lunch
The report suggests a number of currently mandated safety systems could be removed from E vehicles. This could include things like drowsiness detection systems that are designed for use on long distance trips.
If everything pans out, prices of small electric vehicles could drop by 10 percent to 20 percent. This could result in a number of new European EVs priced from €15,000 to €20,000 (equal to around $17,500 to $23,300 at current exchange rates).
While the size and weight of E cars is still to be determined, the publication suggested that some Japanese kei cars could meet the criteria “without any specification adjustments.” This would be a boon to automakers as they could easily export existing models to Europe.
Automotive World reports Stellantis, Renault, and Volkswagen could be the biggest beneficiaries of the move. The companies already offer small electric vehicles and even more are in the works. However, it remains unclear if these upcoming models would qualify for the category.
It’s also important to note that any changes would likely be a ways off. Following the introduction of the draft proposal, we can expect bureaucracy to take hold and slowly advance the idea. At current estimates, it could be a “few years” before E cars are launched, assuming they get approved in the first place.
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