Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Lobbying Overview: The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has both positive and negative engagement on EU climate legislation. In 2023-25, ACEA advocated to weaken EU CO2 targets for light and heavy-duty vehicles, while supporting increased electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure targets.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: ACEA has mostly positive top-line messaging on climate. In a March 2024 position paper, ACEA supported the EU’s 2050 climate-neutrality goal, and supported the Paris Agreement in a September 2024 press release. However, in a June 2024 press release, ACEA’s Secretary-General appeared critical of EU automotive climate regulations.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: ACEA advocated to weaken EU CO2 targets for both light and heavy-duty vehicles in 2023-25. In September 2024, Bloomberg reported an ACEA proposal led by former President, Luca de Meo, urging policymakers to delay the EU’s 15% 2025 CO2 targets for cars and vans by two years. In November 2024, in a press release, ACEA Director General, Sigrid de Vries, advocated for reduced penalties for non-compliance with the EU 2025 CO2 target. In January 2025, Euronews reported that ACEA’s newly appointed President, Ola Kaellenius, had advocated for “emergency relief” from fines for non-compliance with the 2025 CO2 target, while a January 2025 ACEA position paper pushed for “no penalties” regarding the target. In a February 2025 position paper and Op-Ed ACEA advocated for phase-in and a multi-annual average compliance mechanisms to meet the 2025 CO2 target that would severely weaken the policy’s ambition. Previously, ACEA consistently conditioned meeting the EU’s light-duty CO2 targets on numerous enabling conditions, including in a May 2024 Euractiv Op-ed. Former ACEA President, Luca de Meo, also appeared unsupportive of the EU's 2035 100% zero-emission CO2 target in a January 2023 open letter to EU institutions. In contrast, ACEA’s Secretary General described the EU CO2 standards as ‘necessary to make the EV transition a reality’ in a May 2024 press release.
ACEA has also criticized EU CO2 emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), emphasizing the lack of enabling conditions, including in an April 2024 press release. ACEA opposed an EU 100% CO2 emissions reduction target for HDVs and advocated to weaken the proposed 45% 2030 reduction target in a May 2023 consultation response. In a February 2023 joint statement, ACEA opposed a 100% CO2 reduction HDV target and called for a future review of the 2035 and 2040 targets. Similarly, ACEA opposed a 100% 2030 CO2 reduction target for urban buses, and appeared unsupportive of the 45% 2030 CO2 reduction target in a March 2023 position paper.
Regarding other EU policies, ACEA supported extending the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to road transport in a May 2023 consultation response and supported measures to promote renewable energy in a February 2023 consultation response. In a joint statement in February 2024, ACEA appeared to oppose component-specific mandatory dismantling obligations for vehicle components in the EU’s End-of-life Vehicles Regulation.
In Australia, a March 2024 ACEA consultation response stressed concerns regarding Australia’s proposed new fuel efficiency (CO2) standard, advocating for flexibilities to weaken the rule and stated that a proposed 2025 start date was “hasty”.
Positioning on Energy Transition: ACEA has generally opposed European ICE phase-out targets for light and heavy-duty vehicles. In a March 2023 press release, former ACEA President, Luca de Meo, appeared unsupportive of the EU’s proposed 2035 ICE phase-out date for light-duty vehicles, stating that “mass electrification … is no silver bullet” and that “the enemy is fossil-based energy, not a particular technology“. In July 2023 and August 2023 media articles, De Meo advocated to delay the EU’s ICE-phase out target from 2035 to 2040. De Meo also strongly emphasized economic and competitiveness concerns regarding the electric vehicle transition in his March 2024 ‘Letter to Europe’. More positively, he stated the EU ICE-phase out target is “potentially feasible, but the right conditions must be put in place" in a February 2024 press conference. In a June 2024 interview, de Meo disclosed original advocacy to delay the phase-out to 2040, but stated changes to the agreed timetable were a ‘big mistake’. In a July 2024 consultation response, ACEA appeared unsupportive of zero-emission vehicle mandates for corporate fleets.
Regarding heavy-duty vehicles, ACEA opposed an EU ICE phase-out date for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) in a May 2023 consultation response. In an April 2024 position paper, ACEA advocated for a technology-neutral approach to HDV decarbonization, including a longer-term role for ICE vehicles. However, in a February 2025 position paper, ACEA appeared supportive of incentives to promote zero-emission heavy-duty corporate fleets.
ACEA has consistently supported measures promoting the expansion of EU charging infrastructure, including in an April 2023 press release pushing for higher ambition in the EU's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). A February 2025 Op-Ed from ACEA further pushed for increased incentives for both zero-emission vehicles and charging infrastructure roll-out.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q1 2025.