International Dealer News IDN 119 June/July 2014 | Page 13

news ROOM

Alternative fuels
Directive
ACEM, the Brussels based motorcycle
industry trade association for Europe,
has welcomed the European Parliament
vote on the Directive on the deployment
of alternative fuels - describing it as "a
first step towards common standards",
but say that "much remains to be done".
"The motorcycle industry is
particularly pleased that the final text
responds to ACEM's views regarding the
inclusion of L-category vehicles (mopeds,
motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles)
and the need for a technology-neutral
approach that does not favour any
alternative fuel over the other.
"The industry also welcomes
the recognition that L-category
vehicles running on alternative
fuels have the potential to
contribute to meeting the EU's
ambitious climate and energy
targets for 2020".
ACEM went on to say that
while most L-category vehicles are well
suited for electric power, due to their
intrinsic characteristics of being small,
light and specialised, vehicles running on
alternative, low emissions fuels such as
electricity and hydrogen still represent a
low share of the L-category fleet.
"Increasing the availability of public
charging points could change this
situation and facilitate the deployment
of L-category vehicles powered by
alternative fuels, particularly in urban
and suburban areas.
"The adoption of common standards
for electric chargers is of paramount
importance for the industry. The
standards currently being prepared by
CEN/CENELEC under Mandate M/468
of the European Commission should
ensure European-wide interoperability
and guarantee the required safety and
security level for the consumer”.
CEN (the European Committee for
Standardisation) and CENELEC (the
European
Committee
for
Electrotechnical Standardisation) are
two of the three primary officially
recognised European Standardisation
Organisations that develop and agree
the safety and quality standards for
consumer products.
"ACEM strongly believes that
recharging points for L-category vehicles
should be equipped with connectors of
Type 3A. This solution would avoid a
multiplicity of different cables and

ACEM Secretary General
Jacques Compagne:
"While the compromise is
not perfect, it paves the
way for more technical
predictability"

adaptors and retrofit costs for
switching to different charging
systems. Moreover it would help
to create a secure investment
climate for L-category vehicle
manufacturers and would prevent
the risk of stranded assets
resulting from interim solutions".
ACEM points to the risk that "first
movers in the field of electromobility
could be penalised by this new legal
framework and calls again on policy
makers to ensure that L-category
vehicles already in circulation in the EU
that are fitted with a domestic plug are
able to recharge after the entry into force
of this Directive".
Commenting on the outcome of the
vote ACEM Secretary General Jacques
Compagne said: “The removal of
minimum national targets for recharging
points [has] significantly watered down
the Commission’s proposal.
"While the compromise reached by
the Parliament and the Council is not
perfect, it paves the way for more
technical predictability, something that
L-category vehicle manufacturers
require.
"The next step now is to ensure that
appropriate standards are approved by
CEN/CENELEC and that the necessary
delegated acts, catering for electric and
hydrogen L-category vehicles, are
adopted by the Commission. Further
work at national level will be required in
order to deploy the necessary
infrastructure”.
www.acem.eu

"Mandate M/468 of the European
Commission on