FRANKFURT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has called for a comprehensive plan to enable the shift towards zero-emission mobility in Europe, as its new study found the progress is still inadequate in areas of charging infrastructure and consumer acceptance.
Carlos Tavares, ACEA President and Chairman of the Board of France's PSA Group, said Wednesday that it requires a "360 degrees" holistic approach to achieve the ambitious 2025 and 2030 emission targets set by the European Union (EU). This would include a major ramp-up of charging and refueling infrastructure and meaningful purchase incentives to stimulate sales.
At the Frankfurt motor show this year, many world's leading automakers put electric cars at the center of their product portfolios. "It is quite clear that the European automobile industry is now in motion towards zero-emission mobility," Tavares said, noting that the transition is a shared responsibility.
On Wednesday, the ACEA launched the first edition of its annual progress report on the key "enabling factor" for alternatively-powered cars in the EU.
The report showed that in 2018 there were less than 145,000 charging points for electrically-chargeable vehicles (ECV) available across the EU. According to earlier conservative estimates by the European Commission, at least 2.8 million charging points will be needed by 2030, a 20-fold increase within the next 12 years.
In addition, there is huge imbalance in the distribution of such infrastructure among EU countries. The ACEA analysis showed the Netherlands, Germany, France and the UK accounted for more than three quarters of all ECV charging points in EU.
Affordability will be another challenge, as the market uptake of ECV is found to be directly correlated to a country's standard of living, the report showed.
The association found only 12 countries of the 28-country bloc offer bonus payments or premiums for ECV buyers, and with regard to tax exemptions and reductions, four member states do not offer any tax benefits for ECVs at all.
At the start of a new EU political term, Tavares called for governments across the EU to strengthen coordination and match the increasing pace at which the automakers are launching the electric and alternatively powered cars.
ACEA represents the 15 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers, including BMW Group, CNH Industrial, DAF Trucks, and Daimler.
