The report on "Challenges for a European Market for Electric Vehicles" has been published by the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee and identifies that the introduction of the electric vehicle to European industry is important for many reasons, including new market opportunities and new jobs as well as better energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

However, it adds that there will be knock-on effects, commenting: 'The development of electric vehicle industry requires considerable RTD investments, support for the creation of new markets and new business models but also changes in the mobility behaviour of both individual people and the society as a whole.'

It also says that a number of barriers need to be overcome in order to prepare market penetration for
electric vehicles. These include technology ability and developments in society to meet users' individual mobility needs and habits.

It adds: 'Immediate action needs to be taken in standardisation (type-approval of vehicles and standardisation of charging infrastructure) and regulation (e.g. rules on the methods for the collection of excess emissions premiums) to ensure safe framework conditions for investments in technologies and infrastructure.

'Furthermore, coordination of market incentives for electric vehicles will be of crucial importance to avoid market distortion across the EU. As production of vehicles is announced for 2011/12 onwards, this needs to be organised before end of this year.
Furthermore, such incentives need to take into account not to hamper other means of greening transport (e.g. bio-fuels, hydrogen, further improvement of internal combustion engines).'

To download a copy of the report, click here.