08:30 – 09:00 Registration and welcome coffee
09:00 – 10:50 Panel 1 – Electrifying passenger cars
Electrifying road transport is a clear goal from the Commission and the car industry has accepted it as one possible solution. Different manufacturers have developed cars to meet this standard. The problem is that the market has not responded and we still see very few electric cars on the roads. In 2011 only 0.1 per cent of the sold cars within EU were electric cars.
Possible discussion points
- How competitive are the electric cars today?
- Which steps are necessary to take to increase the public demand?
- Is the market ready to adapt to electric cars?
- How can new legislation push the market?
- Will there be a reliable infrastructure within the European Union?
- What would the industry need to be able to develop more competitive electric cars?
- When could electric cars sell at the same price as cars with combustion engines?
- What role can the EU play in hastening the development towards electric cars?
Speaker line-up
Laure Chapuis Member of Commissioner Siim Kallas’ Cabinet, European Commission
Sophie Auconie Member of the European Parliament
Sanjeev Kumar Senior Associate, E3G
Bruno Van Zeebroeck Senior Researcher, Transport & Mobility Leuven
Moderator: Arno Behrens Head of Energy & Research Fellow, CEPS
10:50 – 11:10 Coffee break and mingle
11:10 – 13:00 Panel 2 – Electrifying heavy vehicles
Road transport is one of the areas with very high potential to decrease CO2-emissions. It is hard to see one solution that could solve all problems and most likely we will see a combination of several different solutions, all of them aimed at decreasing emissions. One solution that has been discussed among some of the big truck producers is the possibility to avoid emissions on certain roads by creating an infrastructure for trucks running on electricity.
Possible discussion points
- Where would it make sense to invest in the necessary infrastructure?
- Electric trucks are discussed by manufacturers. How far have the discussions come within the Commission and the European Parliament?
- What would the industry like to see from the EU in terms of legislation, research, infrastructure and funding?
- What are the main disadvantages of electric trucks?
Speaker line-up
Stephane Ouaki Head of Unit B4 – Infrastructure Investment Strategies, DG MOVE, European Commission
Frédéric Sgarbi Head of Sector – Innovative Automotive Systems, DG RTD, European Commission
Dr Gereon Meyer Senior Consultant, VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH
William Todts Policy Officer, Transport & Environment
Karine Forien Director Energy Excellence Brand Strategy – Renault Trucks
Moderator: Pete Harrison Senior Associate, ESC, European Climate Foundation