Lawmakers in Europe are facing pressure to soften strict emissions rules known as Euro 7, following a compromise agreement among EU countries. The new proposals, presented by Spain, are seen as a more fair alternative to the European Commission’s initial plan to tighten emissions limits for non-CO2 pollutants. This includes nitrogen oxide from brakes and tires, as well as carbon monoxide. Diplomatic sources have indicated that EU countries have largely agreed on these compromise proposals. The pushback against Euro 7 comes from eight EU countries, who argue that car manufacturers are already struggling to meet the continent’s 2035 electric vehicle targets, and that Euro 7 would be too costly with minimal environmental benefits. Car manufacturers themselves, such as Renault and Stellantis, have also voiced concerns, with Renault’s chief stating that it would distract from the transition to electric vehicles, and the Stellantis boss arguing that it would increase prices of smaller vehicles, making them less affordable for lower-income drivers. Euro 7 is the final stage of EU regulations for combustion engine emissions before the sale of pure internal combustion engine vehicles is banned in 2030-2035. It aims to make combustion engines as clean as possible and will bring diesel and petrol engines under identical emissions limits for the first time. The regulation sets limits for various pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particles. However, concerns have been raised about the cost-effectiveness of Euro 7, particularly regarding the regulation’s emissions budget and the inclusion of brake dust testing.
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Volkswagen SSP EV platform to offer up to 1700bhp from 2026
Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to launch its comprehensive SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) electric architecture in 2026, despite potential delays to 2028/29 that were previously mentioned.
Blume stated that the architecture will cover a wide range of vehicles, from city cars to sports cars, with power exceeding 1700bhp. Initially, VW had planned for the SSP to handle around 1100bhp.
“The SSP architecture will balance the need for scale and standardization with differentiation and speed,” Blume emphasized.
The SSP architecture was initially announced in 2021 with a planned launch date in 2026, starting with Audi’s Artemis project. However, delays, particularly concerning the crucial software 2.0, caused development to be pushed back to 2028/29, as previously stated by executives like VW brand CEO Thomas Schäfer.
VW Group brands will share architecture modules across 40 million vehicles as part of their efforts to standardize parts and increase economies of scale, with the goal of reducing the high price of electric cars. Blume stated that “most” vehicles on the SSP platform will achieve profit margin parity with internal-combustion-engined cars, compared to only “some” on the group’s MEB electric car platform.
“Architectures cover up to 75% of all material costs for BEV, compared to up to 10% for ICE,” Blume explained. “Therefore, architectures are a key driver for profitability in the future.”
One component that will be shared across all models is the planned ‘Unified’ battery cell, which will be manufactured in future VW plants and can accommodate a range of chemistries, including the cost-effective LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate).
Blume also revealed new performance details about SSP cars, including a 10%-80% charging time reduced to an average of 12 minutes, compared to the existing 35 minutes for MEB models. Additionally, the software 2.0 and electronic architecture will enable hands-free driving up to level four.