EP committee adopts report on hydrogen cars

摘要

The European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) adopted a report, on 27 May, on a European Commission proposal for a co-decision regulation on the type-approval of hydrogen-powered motor vehicles. Rapporteur An ja Weisgerber (EPP-ED, Germany) talks of strengthening the Commission's original proposal of October 2007. She sees hydrogen, together with bio-fuels and electric power, as one of the key-hopes for alternative non-fossil fuels in the transport industry. Whilst hydrogen-pow- ered vehicles will improve air quality, their potential for reducing motor-car CO_2 emissions depends on how hydrogen is produced, notes Weisgerber in her report. The regulation on the type-approval of hydrogen-powered motor vehicles aims to lay harmonised conditions for the vehicles and avoid different technical standards and conditions in member states hindering the development of the technology.