Currently reading: Volkswagen Group facing EU fine for missing 2020 CO2 target
Firm dramatically increases sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids but narrowly misses emissions target

The Volkswagen Group is facing a fine from the European Union (EU) after the manufacturer pool it's in narrowly missed its target for cutting the CO2 emissions of its vehicles.

To encourage a switch to low- and zero-emissions vehicles, the EU introduced tough new CO2 emissions rules for 2020, based on a fleet average of 95g/km, with firms allowed to ‘pool’ their emissions towards single targets.

The Volkswagen Group dramatically grew its sales of electric cars in 2020, with the 315,400 sold up from 72,600 the previous year. EVs and plug-in hybrids accounted for 9.7% of its sales, up from 1.7% in 2019.

That helped the Volkswagen Group reduce the average CO2 emissions of its European passenger fleet to an average of 99.8g/km – a reduction of around 20% from 2019. But that figure meant the manufacturer pool that the Volkswagen Group is part of averaged 99.3g/km, narrowly missing its target by 0.5g/km.

The final figures still have to be confirmed by the European Commission, which will determine the fine. The regulations call for a penalty of €95 (£85) for each g/km the target is exceeded per car sold.

Volkswagen Group boss Herbert Diess said that the progress made showed the firm was “making good progress on the road to becoming a CO2-neutral company”. He added: “We narrowly missed the fleet target for 2020, thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Audi, Cupra and Skoda are now bringing out further attractive electric models. This will allow us to achieve our fleet target this year.”

According to the Volkswagen Group, both Volkswagen and Audi “over-fulfilled” their CO2 fleet targets this year, due to sales of the ID 3 and E-tron respectively.

The Volkswagen Group pool includes all of its brands aside from Bentley and Lamborghini, which are measured individually. In recent months, it struck deals with several manufacturers in a bid to help it hit its target, with MG, Aiways, Next e.Go and SAIC’s European division joining its pool.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Peter Cavellini 22 January 2021

Can we please move from what VW did?, this old news sounds like a rubbish movie script, if any other car brand had failed, would we have jumped all over them?

antiswaybars 22 January 2021

They should kick VAG to the kerb do you all hear that, right to the kerb. They produce at least 4 version of the same poluting dross for planet earth so they can pay the full amount of fines and not a Euro less.

si73 21 January 2021
I don't know.why they didn't postpone the restrictions or rules as most manufacturers have been adversely affected by covid so why make their lives harder. The incentive to produce lower co2 cars or get fined is fine but how about taking into consideration all that's been outside of their control over the course of 2020.
soldi 22 January 2021
si73 wrote:

I don't know.why they didn't postpone the restrictions or rules as most manufacturers have been adversely affected by covid so why make their lives harder. The incentive to produce lower co2 cars or get fined is fine but how about taking into consideration all that's been outside of their control over the course of 2020.

Nonsense - it's an average and most companies have made it. Why should VW be given a break after its recent track record of lying and polluting? I'm still waiting for compensation for the lies told about my Golf.

si73 22 January 2021
soldi wrote:

si73 wrote:

I don't know.why they didn't postpone the restrictions or rules as most manufacturers have been adversely affected by covid so why make their lives harder. The incentive to produce lower co2 cars or get fined is fine but how about taking into consideration all that's been outside of their control over the course of 2020.

Nonsense - it's an average and most companies have made it. Why should VW be given a break after its recent track record of lying and polluting? I'm still waiting for compensation for the lies told about my Golf.

Have most manufacturers made it? Most have joined other companies to reduce their outputs, as VW have with MG. Hence why I said I think they should postpone it, not just for VW it's just this article is referring to VW. I have little to no sympathy for VW, and neither am I a fan of the brand but I do think that the rules should have been postponed.