Several car industry executives have said in recent months that it will no longer be economically viable to produce small petrol or diesel cars such as the Polo or Fabia from 2025 if the strictest Euro 7 standards are introduced. Now the Skoda boss says the Fabia could be pulled from the range in a few years because it will become too expensive.
Klaus Zellmer, Skoda’s CEO, says, as quoted by Autocar UK, that the Fabia model will no longer be able to be kept affordable if the Euro 7 rules are to come into force in the strict version currently proposed. why Because the car will have to install a number of diagnostic technologies and catalysts, which will raise the price by several thousand euros.
Zellmer says the price of a Fabia model could reach £20,000 (around €22,000) and this level is unacceptable for a buyer.
The new Euro 7 rules are due to come into effect on July 1, 2025, and the aim is to reduce NOx emissions by 35% compared to Euro 6 cars. At the same time, the amount of particulate matter in the cars’ tailpipes will be reduced by 13%, they say. with the EU.
It must be said that in recent years, both new and SH cars have become more expensive by several thousand euros, and the number of new models that can be purchased with a budget of 15-17,000 euros has decreased. Small city cars, which four or five years ago cost 12-13,000 euros new, now cost 16-17,000 euros.
In Romania, the Skoda Fabia costs from 16,100 euros, in the basic version with a 1.0 MPi gasoline engine with a capacity of 80 hp. Option Style 1.0 TSI DSG, 110 HP, costs 20,800 euros.
Last year, Skoda Fabia found about 90,000 customers in Europe. The best years for this model were between 2004 and 2006 and 2008 and 2009, when sales exceeded 200,000 units.
In November 2022, Volkswagen boss Thomas Schaefer said that models such as the Polo may not be produced after 2025, as Euro 7 regulations could add €5,000 to the cost of the car.
The EU estimates that the inclusion of these new technologies will add around €300 to the cost of the car, but builders say it will be in the thousands.
Another Skoda representative said in March that the car brand would have to close a plant in the Czech Republic and abandon several models if Euro 7 pollution standards were adopted in the strictest proposed version.
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Source: Hot News
Lori Barajas is an accomplished journalist, known for her insightful and thought-provoking writing on economy. She currently works as a writer at 247 news reel. With a passion for understanding the economy, Lori’s writing delves deep into the financial issues that matter most, providing readers with a unique perspective on current events.