The COVID-19 crisis has almost made us forget that our society is confronted with severe long term threats and challenges. On the one hand, the growing world population will require more and better food, clean water, accommodation, health care - and is expected to require more mobility. On the other hand, the climate change challenge requires us to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly. The transport sector accounts for roughly a quarter of all GHG emissions globally. Green mobility is therefore essential to achieve the GHG emission reduction targets and at the same time provide transportation that society requires.
At the end of 2019, the new European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed in the mission letter to her Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, the importance of smart and sustainable mobility. She also highlighted the necessity of “increasing the uptake of sustainable and alternative transport fuels for road, maritime and air transport”. The electrification of individual transport is one of the top priorities for the European Commission, with electric vehicles at their heart. Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the revision of the EU battery directive remains a priority and it shows the long term thinking of the European authorities.